Two Become One
by Sonnie W
Summary: What happens when a sibling across the other side of the world gets sick? What will happen when a case goes horribly wrong? The consequences are great for some and traumatic of others.
1. Translations

These are the words that I have used in this story. There are some that I will include just in case I haven't used them as I can't remember EVERY word I used. Hope this helps... I know having them written down helped me heaps while I was trying to write it and then translate...

**GOA'ULD WORDS**

**Shell Kree** - shut up

**Shol'vah** - traitor

**Calak** - soul

**Chel'nat** - very cool

**Chel'nok** - success

**Corosh'nai** - turn back

**Dal Shakka Mel** - I die free

**Greshtah** - outcasts

**Ha'shak** - 'curse word'

**Hok'taur** - advanced human

**Jomo'sequ** - right to leadership

**Kek** - weakness or death

**Kelmah** - sanctuary

**Kel'nor'em** - deep meditation

**Kin'dra** - second in command

**Kree** - listen up, attention, etc...

**ANCIENT WORDS**

**Clavia** - key

**Cruvis** - wrong

**Dorentus** - wrong or crazy

**Dormata** - sleep

**Fellatus** - ability

**Fron** - head

**Kozars** - legs

**Laccon** - lost

**Ventio** - wind

**Verus Gen Bree** - 'The Land of Royal Truth'


	2. Chapter 1

The story is a cross over with an Australian Police drama called _**Stingers**_.

Please Leave Reviews and Feedback of what you think :)

**Copyright to _Sausage Publications _and_ Naughty Devil Publications_!**

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"CARTER!" He yelled, as he saw one of his team members get hit and fly backwards, before aiming at the Goa'uld, and shooting. Running over through the cover fire, Daniel grabbed her and dragged her to safety, as the goa'ulds retreated, leaving them momentarily. Daniel was smart; he was the only one in the team who was not in the military. He was in fact a civilian. His brown hair was short but all over the place. He wore glasses, and was an archaeologist and linguist. Running over he fell by her side. Looking at Daniel.

"How is she?"

"She's not dead if that's what your asking," swallowing he nodded, reaching for her hand. "Jack she'll pull through, but we have to get out of here!" Nodding he looked up watching Daniel.

"Alright I'll give you cover fire, dial us home!" Nodding as Jack started firing, Daniel ran over to the DHD. Once the worm hole was connected the firing stopped as both men ran for the stargate. Carter thrown over Jack's shoulders. Jack was in charge of the team. They were his team, they were SG-1. Jack had short light brown hair, which was greying around the shorter parts. His eyes were piercing, and he cared for each and every member of his team. Once they got through the gate, Jack looked up, as he continued to run down the mental rise.

"CLOSE THE IRIS!" He yelled, before putting Carter down. "Get Doctor Fraiser!" Leaning over her, he ran his hand down the side of her face. "Sam, come on Sam can you hear me?" He whispered, taking her hand tightly, as she lay there lifelessly.

Samantha Carter was intelligent, she went through the air force academy, and she topped all of her classes, and won every award that she ever went up for. She had short blonde hair, and her piercing blue eyes told the story of her. Before getting on the SG-1 team, and learning about the stargate, Samantha wanted to be an astronaut. This dream was conquered plus many, many more elaborative things that she now does.

"Get her to the infirmary!" Doctor Fraiser stated, as Sam had many wires already in her, in order to keep her alive on the basic level, while she was transported to the infirmary, where Doctor Fraiser could examine her more closely. Doctor Janet Fraiser, had red-ish brown hair, she was caring, kind, and took care of everyone on the base. She took more care and time with the SG-1 team, over anyone else, as they were the first stargate team, to always get the case, and either head on out to the dangerous planets, or palm them off if they were busier with others.

"What's wrong with her doctor?"

"I'm not so sure! I haven't seen anything like this before! I mean General, we have to wait and see with Captain Carter, I don't know, we can't do much without risking our own lives in order to help her." She stated looking from her patient to the general and back again.

"Understood, do what ever you can, without risking your own lives, doctor,"

"Yes sir," as General Hammond walked out, she sighed before turning back and watching her friend and fellow colleague.

General George Hammond was in charge of the stargate teams, one through to ten. He was put there for 'a quite desk job, to ease him into retirement' which in fact has been quite the opposite. Hammond is bald, kind hearted, and is a total family man. He loves his two granddaughters, with every ounce of his body.

That night as Jack sat beside her lifeless body, he sighed. He couldn't help but take her hand again. He and everyone else were told of the risks involved, and nothing they could do could help her now. She was on her own and that was just something Jack could not handle.

"Sam, come on you better pull through this!" He whispered, squeezing her hand slightly, as he felt tears springing to his eyes.

"Colonel," taking a deep breath to steady his breathing Jack sniffled, before looking up and smiling slightly.

"Hey doc,"

"She will beat this, Sam's strong. We've sent word to the Tok'ra, her fathers on his way as soon as he's finished the mission he's on."

"They haven't told him yet have they?"

"Not that we're aware of sir," she whispered, looking down.

"Doc," looking up she forced a slight smile, "I have to know, will she pull through this? Will she come out the other side the same Carter we know?"

"I can't answer that sir, she was hit pretty hard by that staff blast, and now it's like there are extra toxin's getting pumped around her body. Almost as through she had a symbiote removed, and its injected toxin's into her system so she dies with it."

"How is that possible?" He frowned

"It's not sir! There is no possible explanation for what is happening to Captain Carter, I have no idea what is going on with her, its like her entire physiology is changing, just like yours did, when you were on Argos." Janet stated looking at him, before he turned his eyes back to Sam.

"Would it be possible the two could be connected?" He questioned. "I mean if we were to go back to Argos, and see how they are and what's going on, we might be able to find something to help cure Carter?"

"It might be possible sir, but I don't think they would be connected. After all you haven't been back to Argos, for some time now, Colonel."

"I'm aware of that Doc but if there is an answer there and we don't look for it…" Stopping he sighed, as she nodded and squeezed his shoulder.

"I'll leave you alone for a while, just think about it Colonel, your searching for a microscopic needle in an earth sized haystack." She said gently, before leaving just as quietly as she entered.

"COLONEL!" She screamed, as bullets came from know where, and started to shoot at them. With Jack being shot, Sam was trying to cover herself. As she finally got a hold on the situation, she ran over to Jack, and pulled him, back with her into her quarters. "Sir? … Come on Jack, please," she whispered. Gasping for air his eyes opened as he looked up at her.

"Carter?" He whispered.

"I'm here, it's alright, stay calm. I'm going to go to the infirmary, and see what I can get, alright? Try not to move too much, and please hang in there," she whispered, squeezing his hand before leaving her quarters. Looking around Jack, could hear footsteps, from Sam as she left, but then heard firing for at least a good twenty minutes, before everything went quiet. There was nothing, no footsteps in his direction, no guns shooting no nothing.

Pushing himself up, to lean against her bed, Jack saw the injuries that he had sustained, and knew no matter what she brought back, that without a doctor, there would be next to no chance of him surviving. Breathing deeply, Jack, managed to push himself up onto her bed, which is were she found him when she ran back into the room, locking the door.

"Colonel," she whispered taking his hand tightly. "Sir, squeeze my hand if you can hear me," she whispered, smiling almost instantly as he responded and opened his eyes.

"Carter! I'm going to die, you're not a doctor," he whispered, trying to inhale as much air as possible.

"Sir, I've had medical training I'm going to do my best, but I'm never going to leave your side, alright? If you die they'll have to kill me before I say anything," she whispered, unbuttoning his shirt gently.

"Mm," groaning in pain he squeezed his eyes closed tighter.

"Sorry," she whispered watching him.

"It's alright," he mumbled. As she opened his shirt, Sam pressed the medicated packs to his wounds. Groaning, Jack tried his best not to scream, and sensing he was going to, Sam reacted quickly, pressing her free hand over his mouth seconds before he screamed into it.

"Sir," she whispered, watching him "Colonel! Listen to me, if I move my hand…" Jumping back, Sam gasped as he bit the side of her hand. Watching him, he groaned, as a tear slipped from the corner of his eyes, as he looked at her.

"Sorry," he whispered, nodding she smiled gently.

"It's alright, but you have to listen to me; you can't keep screaming I know it hurts, but…"

"Then stop me, knock me out, kill me, do something there is no way possible, the pain is too great," he stated.

"General permission to take a team through the gate, to Argos?" Jack stated as he walked into the Generals office, unannounced. Looking up he frowned slightly.

"What for Colonel?"

"To find out what we're dealing with sir,"

"How is going to Argos going to help you Colonel?"

"Doctor Fraiser said that there seemed to be some sort of connection to what happened to me on Argos, and what Carter's body is experiencing, if we do not go sir, she might die,"

"She might die if you do go Colonel,"

"With all due respect sir, if there is something on Argos and we don't try to find it, there may be nothing that can be done to help her sir."

"I'm aware of that Jack, and we have to assess the risks…"

"Permission to go to Argos alone then sir?"

"Jack are you hearing me?"

"Yes sir, but if I don't try to do something and Carter die's I'll never forgive myself sir!" Jack stated, slightly starting to raise his voice in his own frustration, more then at Hammond.

"What are you two giggling at?" Came the accusing male voice from behind them. Smiling, they both looked up.

"Nothing for you to worry about Peter! This is girl stuff!"

"Well sor-rey!" He huffed. Walking past them he moved to his desk and turned on his computer. Peter was the most experienced officer there; he had golden blonde, unruly curls that matched his just as unruly behaviour, and attitude to most of what 'the book' says. He also was the eldest out of the group; at the age of 34 he prided himself of teaching his team mates bad habits. His eyes were a piercing ocean blue, which would instantly hypnotise anyone who stared at him. Sighing he frowned and turned back to them. "Angela and Danniella!" He hissed, getting them both to turn instantly.

"What?" Angela hissed back, glaring. Angela had only been in the small tight knit unit for just over six years now and she loved her time there. The experiences that she has encountered and the moments of death that she fought against every time she was out on a job, couldn't do anything to faze her now. She had short blonde hair, was quite intelligent when it came to working with all the electrical equipment, which her fellow office Oscar had been teaching her about. Her eyes were also a piercing blue, and when ever she smiled she could steal countless criminals' hearts.

"Yeah! And don't call me that *PETER*!" Danniella hissed, to a smug looking Peter. Danniella. Most commonly known to her team mates as Danni. She was also blonde and also quite intelligent. She was the newest member to the unit. Only having been in the unit for the past four months, she was still learning the ropes, and every day when something happened she was there in the communications van, ready and waiting for the signal.

"Will you two PLEASE STOP that bloody giggling?" He stated watching them, for a few minutes before they all heard a door open.

"Pete can I see you for a minute?" Turning he smiled slightly nodding.

"Yeah sure Mac," getting up he climbed the few steps to his boss's office, two at a time before entering and closing the door behind him.

Frowning Pete looked around, he noticed for the first time that day that the blinds were actually closed.

"Mac?" He questioned gently, as he moved closer to her, while her back was still toward him. Turning as she felt his close presence, she sniffled which caught him off guard. "Mac?" He questioned again this time more urgently.

"I'm ok," she whispered, forcing a slight smile, a sad smile. Ellen Mackenzie, commonly known to her friends and colleagues as Mac, is smart, and dedicated to her job, she saw her team as her family, and took care of each and everyone of her friends as though they were. She's tall and slim, and has the most gorgeous brown hair, which is an easily manageable helmet like bob, which of late she's started to grow out. Her high cheek bones and beautiful smile tell the rest.

"What's wrong? What's happened?" He asked her gently as he pulled her into a tight embrace. Before either of them knew it, she'd burst into tears and was shaking uncontrollably. Increasing his grip on her, he rocked her gently. "Shh, Mac, its ok. What ever it is, it's ok," he whispered. Sniffling she pulled back, looking at him.

"Pete remember a few years ago, when I told you about a friend of mine, who lives in America?" Uh-o he thought, as he nodded frowning and not liking where this was headed.

"Yeah, why Mac what's wrong with her?"

"She was on a mission and got hit, she's in a coma on her base at the moment, and they have a hospital there. I met one of her friends when we were over there, she's her doctor. Remember Janet?"

"Yeah, did she call you?" Nodding she looked away,

"Pete I just called the commissioner, I asked for time off. I have to go and see her, I have to be with her through this." Sighing he nodded.

"Ok, I'll try to understand, but you know me," he smiled gently. "Are you going to take Sarah?" He asked gently, to which she nodded at.

"I have to Pete you know that, I can't leave her here with you, she's old enough I agree but, I… I just don't think I could leave her," she whispered, to which he nodded.

"It's ok, I understand that much," he smiled before pulling her back into a loving embrace. "When do you leave?"

"The day after tomorrow, you're going to have joint leader ship with Angie," she said gently pulling away from him. Nodding he smiled.

"Don't trust me ay?" Smiling she shook her head

"I'd prefer this place to still be here when I get back," nodding he accepted that. "Plus Gordon wasn't too impressed that I wanted you in charge, so we made a compromise," she smiled gently again.

"Colonel, I have to tell you something," Janet said as she walked into his office, finding him lost in thought. Closing the door she sat opposite him.

"What is it doc?"

"I called someone and told them that Sam was injured in the line of duty. She's on her way sir, she said she has to tie up a few loose ends but she'll be leaving the day after tomorrow, and will be here a few days after that," she said gently. Frowning he watched her.

"Doc, how long would it take for Carter's family to get here?"

"She's not exactly her family sir. And she lives in Australia. She told me when she was going to leave, and the time, and I told her someone would be there to pick her up from the airport, and bring her here to see Sam. Colonel they are very close, and I think that if Sam can't get through this, she has a right to be here." Sighing he looked at his desk and nodded.

"Ok, what time does the flight get in? I'll go and pick her up." Smiling slightly she nodded, handing him a folded piece of paper.

"I'm not sure but I think she'll be travelling with Sara sir," snapping his head up he narrowed his eyes.

"Sara?"

"Yes sir, Sarah is her daughter; she is only about four or five years old. When I first met her she was a tiny baby, but so adorable, Sam is her godmother."

"Oh, ok… Thanks doc, I'll make sure they get here in one piece,"

"Thankyou sir, I know you will." She smiled before exiting the colonel's office.

Sighing Jack noticed that no matter what he did he couldn't get her off his mind. He was now sitting alone in the darkness of his living room. Slouched on his lounge, with a stubby in his hand. As he took another swig, he let his head roll back and rest against the armrest.

It had been almost a week, since she got shot. General Hammond won't let him go to Argos, and Jack was finding it harder and harder to just sit by her side and do nothing. He knew that there was something he could do. After all he was going to pick up Sam's friend from the airport the following morning. At least that was something he was doing for her.

Helping bring her friend closer to her, in her time of need. However Jack knew that he had to go to Argos, and that nothing and no one would stop him, he would tag along on a normal reconnaissance mission, before going AWOL and go through the gate and go to Argos; he knew the address thanks to Carter. He was going to go and find out what he needed to. He was going to get to the bottom of this and stop it before anything else happens to her.

"CARTER!" He yelled, getting her attention, after she had started to storm off. They were off-world and had just had a major argument, stopping in her tracks she didn't bother to turn around. Moving closer to her, he walked around to stand in front of her.

"Sir?" She questioned through gritted teeth.

"What the HELL WAS THAT CAPTAIN?" He yelled glaring at her, as some of the natives started to move towards the yelling wanting to know what was happening.

"That was my opinion sir, and I'm sorry that you don't agree or approve of it!" She seethed.

"YOU'RE SORRY?" He yelled, watching her, her eyes looked like they were made of steel, while she stared right through him as if he wasn't there.

"Yes sir," she stated, but then everything changed, she noticed something, something that was going to change everything between them forever. Waiting for a few minutes as she watched it out of the corner of her left eye, she had suddenly realised she was not listening to the colonel and his yelling in her ear, about her childish behaviour. Sensing her change he frowned and lowered his voice.

"Carter?" He whispered, watching her but she wasn't paying attention to him. Before he knew it, she had grabbed him and pushed him to the ground. Grabbing her as he fell backwards, they landed with a small thud, as several shots went off just above their heads. Grabbing her he rolled onto his side, holding her to him as he used his body to cover her.

Waiting at the airport Jack sighed once again, he noticed that he was sighing a lot lately, but couldn't help the fact. All he wanted was his Carter back, fighting fit. As the gates opened he took a deep breath and held up the sign. Waiting he watched as passengers came flocking out. Several parents and children at the start, then young families, singles, and couples, before another batch of parents and infants.

Looking around she couldn't help but smile when she saw him, he had the sign which made it easier, but she remembered him from several photo's Sam had shown her, all those years ago. Walking over to him, with Sarah on her hip she smiled when he turned around and saw her walking over to him.

"Hi, you must be the ever formidable Colonel," Mac smiled gently, at which he couldn't help but reciprocate.

"That sounds like Carter talking," he smiled, nodding.

"My name's Ellen Mackenzie, my friends call me Mac, so what ever you're comfortable with," she said gently, and he nodded.

"I prefer Jack," he smiled simply, reaching out to take the 'baby bag'.

"Thanks Jack," she said gently, as she looked at Sarah who was staring at her surroundings, taking everything in.

"Auntie Sam?" She said gently, before staring at Jack who smiled.

"We're going to go and see her, Sarz." She whispered gently, before smiling at him. "Sorry,"

"Don't be," he smiled back, before stretching his arm out, and leading the way to the baggage carousel.


	3. Chapter 2

**TWO**

Once they had got her bag, they proceeded to Jack's car. He had taken her suitcase from her, but she insisted that she then have the 'baby bag' back, so she didn't feel like he was doing everything for her. Smiling gently he agreed. Once they got to his car, Mac made a make-shift booster seat for Sarah. Taking out the drink bottles, and some biscuits, before putting the baby bag on the seat, trying to get it, so she would be sitting on some clothes. Once Sarah was taken care of, Mac gave the toddler some biscuits, before getting in her self.

Most of the trip was done in silence. Sighing however when she saw a familiar park that she and Sam had gone to once, she couldn't help but look at her hands and start the conversation, no matter how brief it was going to be.

"How is she? Janet never really said anything other then that she was badly injured and in a coma, and that I should be here," she said gently, staring out the windscreen. Glancing at her as he drove, Jack couldn't help but see the vulnerable side of her.

"She's not too bad, it looks worse then it is. Or that's what the doc is saying," he smiled gently as she looked up at him. Nodding she turned to look out the window.

"Can I ask how it happened? Or are you going to be like Sam and tell me that it's classified?"

"Sorry," was his simple reply. Nodding she sighed once again, before reading the sign that caught her gaze.

"Cheyenne Mountain," stopping she looked to her left to see him showing his ID. 'Man this is going to get some getting used to,' she thought.

"Yep this is our base. Now I have to tell you that there's a lot of things in here that are classified and so when we get inside you will be watched like a hawk."

"Thought as much," she smiled gently. "The way Sam goes on about all her gizmos and new 'toys' she gets every few weeks, I wouldn't be surprised if I was going to be watched. I mean after all I am an outsider going into the biggest military complex in the northern hemisphere, which is the biggest secret operation in the world operating out of it, why wouldn't I be?" She frowned showing some sarcasm, to try and lighten the sad atmosphere that had been created.

"Nice to see that you and Carter agree and are the same with some things," Jack smiled, which got a frown from Mac, as they entered the first lift.

"What's that supposed to mean Jack?"

"Oh nothing really, just working out where Carter's been getting all her sarcasm tips," he smiled. Chuckling she nodded, as Sarah shifted and awoke in her arms.

"So Pete where'd Mac go?" Danni questioned as they were all in the briefing room.

"Just to see a sick friend Danni, nothing to be worried about, she'll be back in no time." He stated, watching her, before turning to the white board, which was behind him.

"Pete," Ange stated standing and moving over to him. "She took Sarah," she whispered. "That means she'll be gone for a few weeks at least, please what's going on?" She whispered, keeping her voice as low as possible.

"Sorry Ange I promised her." Sighing she nodded with a slight smile.

"Okay," as she took her seat again, they waited for Pete to get focused on the task at hand.

"Alright, as you guys know Mac's been talking to this guy," he said pointing to the first picture on the whiteboard. "His name is Paul…"

"…Young?" Danni giggled.

"No!" Pete snapped, glaring at her.

"Sorry," she whispered sinking back into her chair.

"His name is Paul Schmitt; he has been her contact for the last few months. He has supplied her with Methamphetamines and Cocaine amongst other things. However he has recently disappeared. Mac and I have been working on tying to track him down, which has gone nowhere. Now in amongst all this Paul would constantly brag about his 'hot buyer' who he was going to have it off with," after he said that it got him a small giggle from both girls. Smiling him self he shrugged.

"I can tell you when we heard that she was rather pissed off! Anyway this other guy," he said pointing to the next picture. "Is his supplier. His name is Gary Hoofer. No one has ever seen or met the guy and it's up to us to bring him down and then use him to find Paul. Any questions on that?" As they shook their heads the door opened, showing a very apologetic Oscar.

"I am SO sorry Pete; you have no idea what…"

"Stoney mate it's alright, just calm down and take a seat," Pete smiled. Oscar was commonly known to his mates as Stoney, or Stone. He was taller then Pete, with light brown straight hair. He was from the country and was very athletic. He had been in the unit for the same period of time as Angie had. They started around the same period of time.

"Ok Stoney what I was just telling the girls was that we have to track down Mac's contact remember that Paul guy?" Nodding he let his stand in boss continue. "Well we have to find this Gary guy to track down Paul."

"Oh ok sweet; I haven't seen him leave the house in the last few weeks, but who knows right?" Smiling Pete nodded.

"Yeah, we have to be extra careful from now on."

"Ok, so do you want me to continue the stake out on his place to see what we can get?"

"Yeah we might as well, if anything looks suspicious call it in, and we'll get the guy. But the main thing is to make sure that Mac stays safe, if this guy has any idea about what's going on then Mac's life could be in danger. I mean Gary has contacts everywhere the last I heard. So if Paul followed her to her friends then we better start acting fast!"

"Understood Pete,"

"I'll see you guys around then,"

"Yeah see ya Stoney. Girls lets get to work." Pete smiled as everyone left the room.

As they walked into the infirmary, Jack guided her to the last cubical, where he stopped her from opening the curtain.

"Did you want me to take Sarah so you can see her? It's not that she's missing a limb or anything, but…" Trailing off she smiled.

"Do you mind?" She whispered gently, shaking his head he took Sarah from her. Struggling slightly as he held her she whipped her head around quickly to catch a glimpse of her mother. "It's alright; Jack is going to look after you while I talk to Auntie Sam ok? Then you can see her," she said gently.

"Pomise?"

"Yeah I promise," she smiled, nodding Sarah let her head rest on his shoulder before he walked out of the infirmary with her. Taking a deep breath she opened the curtain to see her lying there lifelessly. Biting her bottom lip she walked over to the bed, leaving the curtain slightly open.

"Sam... I hope you can hear me, because I have so much to tell you! Sarah is here, Jack's got her at the moment, and I just wish that you could see her. She's been asking for you for so long. I don't know what the big fuss is with everyone around here either," she whispered smiling. "I mean Jack told me I would be watched but seriously what can one woman do? Well apart form you that is. I mean I can't really say that I know about everything can I?" She whispered gently.

"That would not be a wise move," a deep voice stated which froze her in her spot. Turning her head to the owner of the voice she looked up at the man dressed in blue.

"Ah hi," she said gently.

"So your Captain Carter's Australian friend?"

"Um… Yeah you could say that," she smiled gently. "Ah how much of that did you hear?" She questioned slowly, frowning.

"Most of it, and I really would like to know how you know what you know." Looking away from him, she stared at Sam, before taking a deep breath.

"That I can not tell you," she said gently.

"And why not?"

"Because you won't like the answer that I will end up giving you, and therefore either way you won't get the…"

"Ellen, just tell him," looking up as the curtain opened to reveal another man standing beside him, she stood.

"Jacob?" She questioned in shock. Smiling he moved over to her hugging her tightly.

"How are you kiddo?"

"Good, but… what… I…" Smiling he shook his head.

"It's alright, when I was told that you were going to be here I made sure that I was too."

"Oh," she smiled sheepishly.

"Jacob, what's going on?"

"General Hammond I'd like you to meet Ellen Mackenzie-Carter," he stated, watching the generals face, before his gaze shifted to Jack who had just walked in.

"Mackenzie-Carter? As in?"

"Another daughter of mine," Jacob stated, "however technically…" He drifted off as she smiled.

"Sam is my little sister, my mother and Jacob were only fifteen when I was born, Jacob moved back to America when she lied to him and said she miscarried. She put me up for adoption, and nothing else was said. When I met up with Sam a few years ago, I couldn't help but notice a few similarities between us. So I asked her who her father was, and well when it came out everyone was rather shell shocked." She smiled, as she kept her arm around his waist.

"You mean that there's more the two Carter's out there?" Jack asked in shock, smiling she nodded.

"Yep, there's me, Mark and Sam, and now Sarah," she smiled at him.

"And no Jack, you're not getting your hands on either of them, it's bad enough that Sam's under your command!"

"HEY! What the hell is that supposed to mean?" He huffed, glaring at Jacob. Smiling Mac looked at him.

"Dad's just worried that you'll corrupt Sam. She's his angel and no one is ever good enough for her," she smiled at him. "Trust me when I found out about him, and he came to Australia to see Sarah he didn't like her father much, but they've grown pretty close," she said with a frown, as she looked at Jacob.

"Corrupt? Carter's more corrupt then I am!" He stated in defence. Shrugging she smiled, before turning back to Sam.

"Ellie you have to tell them," Jacob whispered to her, sighing she nodded before looking at the two men in front of her.

"I know about the stargate program, I also am aware that we are in what you call 'the SGC' or stargate command. I know that there are several teams made up of three or four people, and that Sam, Jack, and another are called SG-1, they are the first team to get any 'mission' they are the front liners, they go through before anyone else and they are the last to leave no matter what the situation is." Taking a breath she bowed her head. "I know what happened a few years ago, when Jack was drugged, and well almost died. Sam came to me for the answers she told me what had happened and that the Nanites were changing him, that now he was subjected to the Argosian lifespan of one hundred days.

"Sam didn't know what to do, she was at a loss. She wanted to help him, but didn't know how. She asked me for help and in the end told me everything. She knew I wouldn't help unless I knew what I was doing and why. You see general, now that you know you will come down on her, but if she never told me, then Jack would be dead, she would have retired a long time ago, and the linguist would more then likely have been killed buy the Unas, that Chaka was trying to save him from."

"Okay so Carter told you all this? But why?" Jack frowned.

"Because I needed to know where my father was being taken, to save him from dying of cancer, and she needed support, and I couldn't give her that unless she told me what was going on."

"So what now? Can you help her?"

"I think that I can, but I need to know what happened, you can't just tell me she was shot, what was she shot with? A staff weapon? A p-90? Where was she? What planet and how far from the shooter?"

"Why do you need to know all that?" Hammond questioned frowning.

"Because then she can try to work out how much toxin is in Sam's body and what can be done to counter act it," Janet stated from behind them.

"That's right…"

"But I've gone over all that before there is nothing that can explain it."

"Show me what you have, you might have missed something," she said gently, to which the doctor glared at her. "If you want to save Sam as much as I do then you won't just be standing here holding up and wasting the only time that she might have left. She needs treatment and she needs it now!" She stated looking between the three of them as her mobile started ringing. Sighing she looked at the caller id and frowned.

"How'd you work out the international code?" She questioned gently.

"Good ol' Ange did that," he chuckled.

"Ok, what's wrong Pete?" She asked brushing past them and moving outside the infirmary. "Blown the place up yet?" She smirked.

"No," he laughed. "This is about you actually. We have reason to believe that Paul is in America. He wasn't on your flight but that doesn't mean that he didn't follow you, also we have Gary and need you to get in contact with Paul, I don't know how but you have to,"

"Ok thanks Pete, oh and go easy on him, just because he's the supplier doesn't mean he's still not the go between!"

"Yes Mac," he smirked.

"Ellie!" A voice called which got her to turn around and stare straight into Jack and Hammond's faces, but her gaze quickly shifted, and moved to look at Jacob moving from behind them to stand in front of them.

"Was that who I think it is?" Pete questioned. Smiling she bowed her head.

"Yeah that's Jacob."

"Ah!"

"No!"

"Why not?"

"Because!"

"That's not an answer Mackenzie!"

"It is in my world, look I have to go…"

"MAC!" He huffed.

"No Pete," she laughed, looking at Jacob, who smiled, and reached for the phone.

"Peter are you harassing my little girl?"

"No sir just wanted to say hi. Glad you're alright, Ellen said you were on holidays and that's why we haven't seen you for a while."

"Yes and I'm still on my holidays, son. Except I came back for Sam."

"How is she Jacob?"

"She's getting there, but Ellen's right we have to go, a lot to talk about and a lot to try and get done, in a very short space of time."

"Understood Jacob, take care of her and Sarah for me."

"You have my word on that on son,"

"Thanks dad," Pete couldn't help but grin Jacob was the father that he wished he had, and when they found out that he was Mac's biological father he couldn't have been more proud then to call him dad and bug him senseless.

"So Pete how's Mac doing?" Looking up he smiled when he saw Ange standing at the door to the office.

"Don't know haven't called her, you know international codes and all,"

"Yeah I know, that's why you got me to work it out, remember? Anyway I just heard you talking to her dad," she smirked. Rolling his eyes he nodded.

"Okay you got me, she's doing ok, and I don't think Sarah was with her, because I didn't hear her, but something is defiantly wrong over there, they were all acting a bit strange. I did tell her about Paul though so that's a plus, I think." Frowning he shrugged and sighed.

"Maybe we should jump on a plane and go over there just in case?"

"Yeah and what would Gordon say?"

"Well if we say that, that's were our case has taken us it shouldn't be a problem, I mean remember five or six years ago, when Oscar and I were dragged out into the middle of nowhere? I mean we left Melbourne went via South Australia and up to the Northern Territory!" She stated reminding him of their weirdest case to date.

"Yeah I know but, I'm not sure Ange,"

"Its worth a try don't you think?" Sighing he ran his hands through his hair. "Look what if I call from in here, it'll just be you and me in here and we can talk to him about conditions and stuff? Pete if this is Mac's life we're talking about Gordon will approve! She's not only the best officer he's ever had in the force, but she is… Well you know, how close they are, she's like the daughter he never had!"

"Yeah I know," sighing he nodded, smiling. "Okay let's do it!" He grinned, as she walked in closing the door behind her. As Ange dialled the number, Pete sat there watching her, as she pulled another chair around the desk and sat next to him.

"Chief Commissioner Gordon's office,"

"Hi this is Constable Angela Piper, and Senior Constable Peter Church, we were wondering if we could talk with the commissioner please? It's very important."

"Just a moment,"

"Commissioner Gordon speaking."

"Commissioner its Angela and Peter, from Ellen Mackenzie's unit,"

"Yes how are you both? Keeping on top of things while your boss is away I hope?"

"Yes sir, however we are calling in regard of our boss…"

"Go on,"

"We have reason to believe that one of her targets have followed her to where she is now with her ill friend sir," Pete said looking at Ange with hopeful eyes.

"Commissioner… Ellen went to the United States, and we believe that her life might be in danger, and are requesting that the four of us are allowed to travel to America to help her, sir." Ange finished as they both shared worried glances, when the silence on the other end was edging over five minutes. "Commissioner, sir?"

"I'm here… What evidence do you have for this?"

"We know that Ellen's target boarded a flight to America soon after she left, we also have reason to believe that they landed at the same airport. There isn't much evidence after that sir, because we have no way of communicating with the local authorities about what we have been working on, sir."

"We also believe that for Ellen and Sarah's safety that it be only the four of us that went sir, we are the most capable to take this man down, while making sure we are not spotted by anyone that might be watching either Ellen or the target."

"I see," sighing he ummed and ahhed. "Constable's you have a go, but make sure you bring back the target in one piece, and bring back Ellen and her daughter alive and well!"

"Yes sir, we wont let you down!" Ange finished before hanging up the phone grinning.

"I can't believe that he just let us go to America!" Pete exclaimed.

"WHAT?"

"General, sir. I know this is asking a lot of you, but this virus or disease or what ever you want to call it, did originate from Argos. Colonel, remember when you were walking around the town centre with your team and it was Sam who grabbed you when you fell?"

"Ah, not really, but if…"

"She did Jack,"

"Well isn't that nice to know," he smirked, which got a roll of the eyes from Mac.

"Look all I'm saying is that, when you fell and she grabbed you, something… Don't ask what I haven't worked that out yet!" She quickly added. "Somehow went from you to her. Now it's been laying dormant since." She said clicking the button to make the next slide appear. Turning to it she sighed.

"What in gods name is that?" Jack questioned sitting up right, and on the edge of his seat awaiting an explanation.

"This is something similar to the nanites that infected your body, and made you age as you did Jack. Now," she stated flicking to the next slide. "This is what is in Sam's body,"

"It looks the same," Daniel frowned.

"That's because it is, the same Daniel." She smiled at him gently. "This is also the nanite that infected the Colonel, however this particular nanite, has changed its self slightly. It has changed to adapt to Sam's body, to her physical nature. It is not changing anything in her like the ones in Jack did; they are not aging her, in anyway. They are merely adjusting and getting used to her body so…"

"So what you're saying is that, this won't kill her but if she wakes up she won't be the person she was before?" Daniel frowned

"That's correct. However there is a way to reverse it,"

"No there isn't!" Janet protested. "If there was I would have done it by now!"

"No offence Janet but Sam doesn't tell you everything, and I'm sure there are a lot of things she tells you and doesn't tell me, however there is one way to reverse it and it means to go back to Argos and talk to Kynthia."

"Of all the Argosians why the one that did that to me?" Jack groaned

"Because it was what she gave you, which had the sedative in it, which then in turn after spending a 'night' with her, gave you the system full of nanites. And therefore what ever was in that sedative is the key to what can save Sam," she stated, watching him, before looking at Hammond. "General I know you don't know me, or have any reason to believe me, but…"

"George, I want Ellen on the team that goes to Argos!" Jacob stated cutting her off.

"Jacob, I can't just let anyone…"

"If she doesn't go with your team, I'll take her back with me to the Tok'ra and then take her from there, it's your choice George." He stated standing watching the man in front of him sigh and nod.

"Alright, but Jack you are to watch her like a hawk and take Daniel and Roberts with you!"

"Yes sir!"

"Dismissed,"


	4. Chapter 3

"Ange do you really have evidence to suggest that Paul Schmitt is actually in America or are we just going on the word of that Gary guy? What was his name Hoofer?" Danni whispered as they boarded the plane with the other passengers.

"Danni this isn't really the time or the place to talk about this, but Pete and I have reason to believe that he followed her, whether to make the deal over there, or not we're not sure, but Gordon gave us the go ahead and we have orders to fulfil from him, as well as our own vendetta to get to Mac and Sarah before he does." She whispered back as they took their seats. As Danni sighed she nodded,

"Okay I get it, that's Ange talk for 'shut up about work Dan'" Danni smiled.

"Yeah something like that," Ange smiled settling down, and sighing, before turning around to see the boys talking about one thing or another. "Hey Pete," she started, kneeling on her seat as he lent forward.

"Yeah?"

"What happens if… You know?" She mumbled, and he smiled.

"Try not to think like that Ange, if anything happens she'll know to contact us,"

"Pete we're on a plane for the next seven hours, before we have a two hour stop over doing shit all, then another fourteen hours probably. Well that's to Europe, so give or take a few hours…"

"Ange we're not stopping over, this flight goes direct to America."

"Oh ok, but still how can she contact us? If he did follow her he'd have someone on us, and they'd tell him that we're on the flight and therefore we can't get her calls or messages for help and…"

"Angela!" He huffed, "stop it alright? Everything is going to be fine! Stop worrying about her," he smiled, as she nodded she sighed and turned back around and sitting, as the airhostess walked past making sure everyone was seated, tray-tables were locked away, all baggage was stowed, and seatbelts were on.

"You right?" Jack asked watching her as he slowly walked up the rise with her by his side.

"This is amazing! You can…"

"Actually see the event horizon, yeah that's what Carter said when she touched it," he smiled; looking at him she smiled nodding. "You must know when you come out the other side your going to feel pretty darn cold…"

"That's because of the reconstruction of your molecules. As we step through we get de-molecularised, for transit then re-assembled on the other side," she stated smiling, before looking at him.

"And that was Carter through and through, come on." He smiled wrapping and arm around her waist as they went through.

"Oh my god, so cold," she whispered

"You'll be right, warm up in no time here," he smiled rubbing her arm gently, before walking off, ahead of the others, who she was quick to follow. As they walked out into the sun she sighed closing her eyes and smiled. She quickly came back to her senses when she sensed movement behind her. Spinning around her eyes widened.

"JACK!" She called, as she was now face to face, with what she thought was an over sized, and over dressed yuppie. Spinning around they all looked back at her as he ran back, grabbing her and pulling her away from him.

"Ba'al should have known!" He hissed.

"Nice to see you again, O'Neill,"

"Pity I can't say the same for you!"

"Jack?" She whispered.

"Just an old acquaintance nothing to worry about," he mumbled back. "What do you want Ba'al?"

"Well I never thought I'd see this day coming," he grinned.

"And what day is this?"

"The day you become my host!" He chuckled, as Jack took a step back.

"Yeah like that's ever going to happen!" No sooner had Jack said that, then several jaffas emerged and Ba'al advanced toward him. Looking around she knew they were out numbered but her police training and adrenalin started to take over, and her next movement could not be helped. Lunging forward at him, she grabbed him, kicking him in the back of his knees he fell to the ground, as she held his left arm high behind his back.

"Now what about telling these extremely angry people to back off?" She whispered.

"My, my you are a strong one, maybe you shall be my host," he chimed.

"Don't count on it, now tell them to back off or they will witness your death," she whispered in his ear.

"Jaffa Kree!"

"That's it," she whispered.

"Leave us!" He stated.

"Wise decision," she mumbled. "Now however," she stated, letting him go, as soon as he moved she kicked him across the face, which caused him to fall backwards, giving her the chance to grab the bottle of Tal'vak acid, and hold it above him. As he saw what she was holding he started to move away.

"Ellen…" Jack stated taking a step closer to her.

"Don't worry Jack I know he tortured you with this," she said smugly, watching Ba'al struggling to retreat.

"What do you want? You will pay for this!" He growled.

"Oh please you're not really in a place to be demanding and throwing insults around!" She stated, turning the bottle upside down and spilling some over his chest. "Oops," she smiled gently, at his yelling.

"Dal Shakka Mel!"

"Yeah right!" She laughed, "the day you die free is the day that I become a host!" She smirked. "Which will be the day hell freezes over and the devil gives free skating lessons! In other words it's never going to happen parasite!"

"What do you want?" He seethed.

"Now that's better!" She smiled. "I want you to tell me how I can help my sister, after all it was you who did this to her was it not?"

"What?" Jack frowned.

"Oh sorry Jack did I forget to mention that?" She asked not taking her eyes off Ba'al.

"Oh yeah you did!" He hissed, at her.

"Oops, sorry about that," she smiled turning around. As Ba'al got up she spun around kicking him square in the chest, which sent him back to the ground. "Did I tell you to get up yet?" She frowned. "No didn't think so!"

"Okay firstly, since when can you speak Goa'uld?"

"Um, blame Sam she was always rattling something or other off, when people were around and she didn't want them to know about something."

"Ah-huh," Jack said slowly. "Secondly, how can you fight like that?"

"I'm in the police force," she shrugged "thirdly?" She smiled at him.

"You planned this right from the start didn't you? You knew Ba'al was going to be here!"

"Mm sort of, I had a feeling, and well when I yelled out it was because he startle me. See there is also something that I haven't told you…" She smiled but stopped, grabbing his p-90 and aiming it at the door, seconds before it opened to reveal Kynthia. Lowering it, she frowned. "Thought he said there was know on left here?" She whispered, at which Jack nodded.

"Kynthia," he smiled gently.

"Jack, what are you doing here?" She frowned.

"Well believe it or not, we came to talk to you."

"Really? I haven't seen you in so long! I didn't think that you would ever come back," she smiled moving forward.

"Don't let her hug you Jack," Ellen whispered quickly, to which he took a step back quickly, which she frowned at and stopped.

"Jack what's wrong?"

"We were told there was know one on this planet, where have you been?"

"What? Of course there, is come outside I'll show you, everyone is here." She smiled, at them.

"We'll stay in here if you don't mind," Mac stated, watching her. "Actually even if you do mind…" She drifted off as something caught her attention. Taking Jack's arm she pulled him back slightly.

"Ellen?" He mumbled.

"Trust me," she whispered.

"Really I don't know what…"

"Shel kree!" She stated, and instantly, Kynthia stopped, looking at her, before glaring at her.

"Shol'vah!" She seethed. Advancing.

"Jack anytime now would be good to shoot her!" Ellen hissed at him. "Ha'shak!"

"I am Kin'dra!" She hissed.

"You are nothing, but a parasite!" Mac retorted.

"You will be a host! You…"

"Dal shakka Mel! We have kelmah and you are kek!" She hissed, still moving back, an arm across Jack's waist moving him back with her. "JACK!" She exclaimed. Just then there were several shots let off. As she fell Ellen turned to see who had shot Kynthia, as did Jack. As they saw Roberts holding a p-90. "Ah thanks," she whispered.

"Welcome Ellen. However what I would like to know is how you know these words?" He questioned. Sighing she moved away from them.

"If you're going to tell me you have a snake in your head?" Jack stated holding up his weapon. Scoffing she rolled her eyes.

"So you have no problem in shooting me with no evidence, but you wouldn't shoot a Goa'uld, nice Jack, real nice!" She huffed, before looking at Roberts. "I can't explain it Roberts, when I saw her they just popped into my head. If you want, when we get what we need to help Sam, you can do any number of tests on me. And Jack if I do have a snake in my head I give you permission to either shoot me, or study me, just don't let the NID get me, alright?" She stated watching him, as he slowly lowered his gun, with a slight smile.

"Yeah alright I promise you that one." He smiled.

"So now what? I mean we have Ba'al, there are shit loads of jaffa out there by the looks of that, and we are here to get something to help Sam, and… What are you doing?" Daniel frowned, watching Ellen taking a blood sample from Kynthia.

"You'll work it out, you're smart enough from what Sam says about you," she stated gently, before rolling the dead body on her stomach, and finding the scar on the back of her neck. Pulling a small knife from one of the vest pockets, she took a deep breath. "Ok, here goes nothing." She mumbled as they watched her, cut into the scar, and further down Kynthia's back, to reveal the dead symbiote. "Ah does anyone have gloves or a container? The container would definitely be preferred if you don't have gloves," she stated.

"Only our flasks," Jack retorted. "We didn't really think we'd be bringing back a symbiote if you know what I mean."

"Flask is fine, just never use it after this!" As she reached back Daniel handed her one.

"Ah it's still got water in it,"

"That's fine, it'll help revive it for a short period of time," she stated, before reaching in and grabbing it just under its 'head' so if it was still slightly alive it couldn't try to get inside her. As she got it into the flask she quickly closed and screwed on the lid, clipping it to her vest, she looked at them. "Alright let's go," she grinned.

As they alighted the plane, the four went for their bags, before hiring a van, with no back windows, and tinted front windows. As they drove to their motel, Ange had booked for them; they left a few bags in the back, and took only their clothes into the unit with them.

"So what now?"

"Now we try and get a hold of Mac, and ask her out for dinner," Pete smirked.

"Pete I'm trying to be serious!" Ange huffed.

"So am I, we have to let her know that we're here and that she has reason to worry about her self and Sarah! I mean unless you wanted to kill someone or really, really screw up their life you wouldn't follow them half way across the globe!" He stated as they sat in the small lounge room, while Stoney and Danni were out setting up the van with some of the equipment that they had been able to bring with them, for the job.

"I am aware of that, but what if he was just here for a holiday? What if we're jumping the gun? We never really had any hard evidence that he was after Mac. I mean when we landed we came in at the same airport as Mac did…"

"That's because her friend lives in Colorado Springs, and so that's were I got tickets too." Pete stated smiling at her. There is no way you believe in coincidences anymore Ange. Come on this is not one, he is following her. He wants to do something, I can just feel it." He said gently. Sighing she nodded.

"Ok, look I don't really know what's going on, but Pete I want you to promise me that what ever happens we'll make sure Mac is in one piece and alive, and if we have to Paul will be in one piece but not necessarily alive," she whispered gently.

"Ange don't be like that, look I know your worried, hell so am I, but we have to work this like we would any other case, alright? We'll get the guy and Mac and Sarah and Paul will all go back to Australia with us, and all of them will be alive." He smiled at her, as she nodded. Looking up he smiled slightly at his two blurry eyed friends and work colleagues. "All done?"

"Yeah what we can get done, I don't know about you two, but we're bloody exhausted!" Oscar stated flopping on the lounge next to Ange who smiled at him.

"Yeah I'm feeling a bit tired, but we have to stay awake for…" As she turned to see the clock, she hummed, before looking at the trio in front of her. "Another 2 hours at least. That will make it six o'clock. If we can manage to stay awake until eight, it would be better because then we can just sleep through the night and get up and go," she explained to the three tired faces.

As the four got up the following morning at nine o'clock, they had breakfast, in the small kitchenette, after buying food the night before, and started to plan their next few days carefully. When it came to Paul Schmitt, they weren't going to be taking any chances.

"Right so, we call Mac and tell her we're here, and that we need to wait for him to contact her right? Then what?"

"Then we're going to wire her up and its going to go down just like any other drug case." Pete finished.

"But we don't know the area!" Danni protested.

"That's why today before we do anything we are going for a drive, and are going to familiarise ourselves with this area, and this town, so that we can get Mac to choose a spot, well rather it'll be us, getting her to get him to meet her there, but it'll be easier this way. As we will know the area that we choose just like we know the areas back home," Ange stated, while eating her toast.

"And then what?" Dan questioned.

"Danni why are you asking so many bloody questions?" Pete huffed.

"Because neither of us are really sure about this Pete. It's like you and Ange have everything worked out and we're just here for the ride. Don't get me wrong I hope this is a false alarm and Mac and Sarah are perfectly fine, but I just don't think that we're doing what we know how to do. We're UC's! For Christ sakes, why aren't we acting like them?" Stoney questioned which got the others to look at each other.

"That's true and I honestly can't answer that Stoney. I thought we were working like we normally do." Pete sighed. "But then again we are in a different country maybe its all just getting to us, with one of our own out there in a place that none of us know anything about." He replied looking between them, which got them all thinking and bowing their heads, in acknowledgement of the truth to his statement.

As the group of four stepped through the gate, they looked at Ellen, as she was almost running down the ramp.

"Did you get it?" Jacob questioned, to which she smiled at him, and produced the flask. "Good work lets go," he stated wrapping an arm around her waist as he took her to the infirmary.

"Colonel?"

"You don't want to know, general. Trust me you don't want to know." Jack stated walking after them, gripping his p-90, as he got to the infirmary. "Right time for questions," he stated at which Ellen turned to him, and smiled slightly.

"You're not second guessing me yet are you Jack?" She smiled

"Possibly, just don't screw up." He stated raising the gun and pointing it at her, as Janet, Daniel, and Hammond walked in to see him, holding the gun on her.

"Colonel, what are you doing? Put that weapon down!" Hammond stated watching him.

"Sorry general I made a promise, and I intend to make sure both sides are kept," Jack stated watching as Jacob, got the symbiote out of the flask, before moving away letting Ellen work.

Several hours had passed before she emerged from the room, looking at the group, with a glum expression.

"Ellie?" Jacob questioned, gently as they others finally looked up at her.

"Well what the hell have you been doing in there?" Jack questioned standing next to Jacob, when she bowed her head.

"Oh god, Ellie," he whispered pulling her into a hug, and she clung to him tightly as she buried her head into his chest. "You did your best," he whispered. Sniffling she shook her head and pulled back, looking at Jack.

"She was pregnant, I… I'm sorry," she whispered, looking deep into his eyes, before seeing them glaze with tears.

"Ellie?" Sniffling she looked at him.

"She's ok; she woke up and is asking to see Jack." She said gently, looking at them.

"She's awake?" He gasped, looking at her. Smiling gently she nodded.

"Yes, and its all thanks to you," she smiled. Moving forward he grabbed her, not caring about the blood and guts that she was covered in. hugging her tightly he grinned setting her gently back down. Smiling she nodded. "Follow me, you have to be careful, she's not out of the woods yet." She said gently, as he nodded and followed. As they walked into the room, he saw her lying there, eyes closed, and groaning in pain.

"Jack… Colonel… Sorry… No it'll…"

"Sammy, its Ellie sweetie, look at me," and as if she was hypnotised, Sam stopped her dream and looked at her. Smiling she nodded. "There's someone here to see you," turning she nodded for him to come closer. "Look its Jack," she whispered, looking to the other side of the bed, where Sam's eyes followed Ellen's gaze. Frowning she looked at him.

"Who?" She mumbled.

"Its Jack, it's the Colonel, sweetie." Looking at him Sam smiled and sighed closing her eyes.

"Jack," she mumbled, before drifting off, and shifting in pain. Turning quickly Jack watched her, as she injected some blue liquid into the IV. Which he noticed had settled her.

"What's that?"

"It's the blood from the symbiote, its all that's keeping her alive at the moment. I have enough to last her the next month, but if she doesn't pull through and start to fight this before then, then there's nothing else that can be done, other then giving her a symbiote." She said gently. "Jack I knew she was pregnant, I never said anything before, because of my father, I hope you realise that this was the only way to bring Sam back to us, the foetus would not have survived, she was only eight weeks. She told me a few days before she went on that mission." She whispered, before looking at Sam.

"There is no way I'm allowing anyone to put a snake in her head!" He hissed suddenly. Nodding she looked at him.

"I understand that, so let's hope that she pulls through this okay? She needs you here more then Jacob and me. I have to get back, and start working on something, back home. But I'm more then happy to come back and visit you all, and see how she's going. I won't be gone long, because I have a feeling that she'll need me, more then anyone here is willing to admit."

"What's that supposed to mean?" He frowned, as her mobile rang.

"Nothing," she whispered before answering. "Mackenzie," smiling she couldn't help it, but laugh. "Ange what are doing calling me? I thought… You're what?" She gasped. "Ange, please…" Closing her eyes, she nodded, taking a shaky breath. "No, its ok, thanks I'll be there as soon as I can. Yeah," she whispered looking at Sam. "We're hoping she'll pull through, she's got a massive fight on her hands," she mumbled. "Anyway thanks I'll leave now," she whispered, before hanging up. Looking at him, she quickly left the room.

"What's going on?" Hammond asked as they both walked out of the room, Ellen quickly changing and cleaning her self up.

"I have to go," she said gently, looking at Jacob, who frowned.

"What is it?"

"Peter and my friends came here, because of my work, and…" Taking a shaky breath, she watched him, before bowing her head. "He was shot and isn't expected to pull through," she whispered, before looking at Jacob, who pulled her into a hug. "I have to go, I have to take Sarah." She replied pulling away.

"I can take you, what hospital is he at?"

"Um, I can't remember the name of it, but Ange said there was one near their motel, which is about twenty minutes drive from the airport," nodding he smiled slightly.

"I know it," sniffling she nodded.

"Thanks," she mumbled.


	5. Chapter 4

As he followed her as they ran down the corridor to the room, that Ange had told her Pete was in, she slowed and swallowed the rising lump as she saw the others sitting outside the room. Ange curled up on Oscar's lap head buried into his chest, with Danni sitting on the floor knees pulled tightly to her chest, as Oscar had one arm tightly around Ange, and the other resting around Danni's shoulders.

"Oh my god," Mac whispered, as Jack moved to her.

"I'll take Sarah," he whispered, pulling the little girl from her mother's tight grip.

"Ange, Dan, Oscar!" She called moving to them quickly, as Jack hung back, and watched the four embrace. "Where is he? What happened?"

"We were at a park, looking around and Paul was there, he recognised Pete and shot him, Mac we're so sorry!" Ange blurted out, as more tears ran down her cheeks and Mac pulled her into a tight hug, holding her own tears at bay.

"He didn't… We got Paul Mac, but Pete, he…" Danni chocked as Oscar pulled her into a hug.

"Stoney?" She whispered, gripping Ange tighter. Shaking his head he looked at her for seconds before he let Danni go, and moved Ange from her grip. Pulling Mac into a tight hug she buried her head into his chest as she cried. As her legs gave out Oscar pulled her closer holding her up, before moving her to one of the chairs in the hall, as a nurse moved over to see them.

"Ellen?" She asked gently. Sniffling Mac looked up, nodding.

"I'm really sorry, there wasn't anything that could have been done," she whispered. "If you like I can take you in to see him." Nodding Mac pulled her self up. As they walked to the room, that was only five to six meters from their current position, they stopped out side the door.

"I need to know, where was he shot?"

"Straight through the heart, who ever did this knew exactly what they were doing," she said gently, resting a supportive hand on Mac's back, as she nodded.

"Was there anything else? Was he in any pain?"

"As far as I can tell, he was still fighting the loosing battle, until the paramedics arrived. When they got there it looks like he just gave up. That he'd told your friends everything that he needed to, and that was it. There weren't any other injuries, and I'm not sure if he was in any pain, more then likely if he hung on long enough to tell your friends, the things he did, but I can't answer that for you I'm sorry." Sniffling Mac nodded.

"Thanks," she mumbled before walking into the room. Upon closing the door and seeing him Mac couldn't help the sob that escaped. Moving closer she sat on the edge of the bed, as the tears cascaded like a waterfall just after the rains. Picking up his hand she gripped it tightly, bringing it to her lips she kissed it, before leaning over him, and pecking his lips. As the sobs became more and more frequent, she couldn't help but to lie next to him, burying her head into his cold chest.

Looking in, Ange felt her heart ripping once again. She was the only one out of the three to have seen everything. She watched it as if it played in slow motion. The expression on his face, and in his eyes that she saw, before screaming for the others, was the one thing that she'll never forget. The way that Pete's body fell to the ground next to her, the way he gasped for air, the way she held his hand. Hearing her own voice screaming for help as if it were someone else's. The way she tuned out of everything around her, while trying to calm him down. While she was promising to look after Mac and Sarah. She knew that he was going to die, after opening his shirt, and seeing where the bullet had entered.

Looking up at his face, when she pressed both her hands over his heart, trying to stop the blood flow, as much as possible. The way she was crying hysterically. The way he grabbed her wrists, before telling her that he loved Mac that she belonged with her family that they were her family that she had to move on. The fact that he was always going to be there with all of them. She couldn't stop her trembling hands, as she soon became to realise that he was now lying beneath her, dead. He'd stopped moving, stopped talking to her, stopped telling her how much he loved Mac and Sarah. Stopped breathing, only for her to sit back on her heels and sob uncontrollably, as the paramedics ran to her side.

'Leave him,' she managed to chock out. 'He's gone, please don't put him through this,' she cried before letting her head fall against his bear chest, before she felt another pair of arms wrapping around her waist, and pulling her back, so they could get him ready for transport. 'I'm sorry, Peter! I'm sorry!' She screamed, as they took him away from her. Just then a pair of arms wrapped around her waist gently, pulling her from the memories, from just hours previously.

"You alright?" He whispered, sniffling she nodded.

"Yeah I'll live, it's Mac that's not going to cope," she stated her eyes not once leaving her best friends figure, as she was leaning over the lifeless body, in front of her. "I should have taken the bullet, I should have moved him out the way," she whispered, "Pete's got a life, he's got Sarah, he's got… Oh my god, Stoney, he's gone and I'm talking abut him, as if he was still here," she whispered, before turning in his grip and sobbed into his chest.

"Hey shh, it's alright. If you didn't I'd think there was something wrong. It's a natural thing Ange, come on, shh." He whispered rocking her gently, as he looked in on Mac who looked liked she was sleeping after crying, for the last half an hour over the only guy she really loved, over the father of her child, over her best friend."

"Oscar there's something Pete never knew," she sobbed pulling away from him.

"What is it?"

"Mac's pregnant," she whispered as he looked at her in shock, she pulled away form him, bowing her head and moving back to Danni, who was talking to Jack. Sniffling as she sat Danni wrapped an arm around her.

"Hey, how you going?"

"I'm alright, I was just telling Stoney that it's Mac we should be asking that, she's the one that's not going to cope. I mean Sarah doesn't have a dad, and neither does this other little guy," she stated, before looking up at Danni, who flashed a sad smile.

"Yeah I know, but Mac wasn't the one who witnessed it, you did. You're the one that's going to be having nightmares Ange, not Mac. She didn't look after Pete, she didn't hear his last words, and she didn't try to save him that was you. And you are going to need us as well. So don't go leaving your self alone alright. We stick together remember?"

"Yeah I know, but something Pete said just, I don't like what I've come to make the meaning be."

"And what's that?"

"He said that she belongs with her family. Then he said that we were her family, as if he was meaning someone else, before thinking about us. You think that he means her dad? You know her real dad um, Jake?" She frowned.

"Ange it's up to Mac were she stays, but she'll be coming back with Pete I know that, and I really want to stay here with her, and be here for her, and come back on the jet with her, just so she doesn't start thinking about things,"

"Yeah I know, I want to, to but you know what she's like." Ange whispered, bowing her head. "I just hope her friend pulls through, because if she doesn't this'll kill Mac, she wont be able to pull through with both of them gone." Ange mumbled.

"Jack what's going on? How's Peter?" Jacob questioned when Hammond put him on speaker. Sighing Jack swallowed.

"I'm sorry Jacob, from what I can gather, he was shot straight through the heart. One of his friends saw the whole thing and she's pretty shaken, and Ellen hasn't left the room yet. Sarah's here with me, and Ellen's friends are extremely distraught."

"Oh god," he whispered, sitting down.

"Jacob, are you alright?" Hammond questioned looking at his friend. Looking up he swallowed.

"George you have to take me to the hospital please, I have to be there for her."

"Jacob you know I can't…"

"General, sir… For the sake of Ellen and Sarah I believe that Jacob should be here. Her friends are distraught and know one has gone into the room, to see how Ellen really is. They've told me that it looks like she's cried herself to sleep, and she's lying across him. They are also worried, because apparently she's pregnant. They don't know what to do, and they want her to see a doctor, to make sure everything's alright. I think that if anyone could get her to calm down and talk to a doctor, it would be Jacob." Sighing Hammond looked at him.

"Alright, but you have to change into something," nodding Jacob forced a slight smile.

"Thankyou George!"

Jogging down the corridor, Jacob swallowed as her saw the trio sitting or rather slouching in their seats, and Jack, sitting there holding Sarah, and playing peek-a-boo with her to pass the time.

"Jack!" He called. Looking up, Jack smiled slightly. As the others looked up, Ange couldn't help the sob that escaped, as she saw Jacob moving towards them. "Angie," he said gently, crouching in front of her, she nodded, but kept her face shielded from him. "Look at me please?" He coaxed. Sniffling she raised her head, to look into his eyes.

"I'm so sorry," she sobbed. "I should have gotten him away, I should have done more!" She cried, before he pulled her into a tight embrace.

"Hey shh, you couldn't have done anything more then what you did," he soothed. Nodding against his chest, her blood soaked hands wrapped around his neck, and Hammond couldn't help but stare in shock. Pulling back she looked at him.

"Mac's still in there with him, I want to go in but I can't, I feel like I didn't do enough for her, she's pregnant, and now he's gone…" She chocked out through sobs before trailing off.

"Hey it's ok, you did what you could, alright? Don't go blaming your self, you weren't the one to pull the trigger, it wasn't your fault." He whispered, before she nodded.

"She's in the room, about five to six meters down the hall on the left," Ange whispered. Nodding he forced a sad smile.

"Thanks Ange," he mumbled, before getting up and walking to the room, peering in, he swallowed hard, to stop the lump from rising any further in his throat, before entering.

"Jack?" Hammond questioned, gently. Looking up at him, the group frowned, before Jack turned back to them.

"Guys this is my boss, General Hammond." Sniffling they nodded.

"Hi," Ange whispered,

"Yeah hey," Danni and Oscar stated, before they all looked away again. Standing Jack moved to him.

"Sir?"

"I take it; the one with the blood on her hands was there first?" He whispered. Nodding Jack turned to the trio.

"Yeah, they were all there, but she was walking with him, she actually saw him go down. She tried everything to keep him alive, but the bullet went straight through his heart, as I said before, and there wasn't much any of them could have done. From what I can gather from Danni, the other blonde." He mentioned casually, which Hammond nodded at. "Was that, Ange saw him fall, was screaming for help, and yet by the time the paramedics got there, he'd told her everything that he wanted Ellen to know, and then he just passed away." He said gently, looking at Sarah in his arms.

"I just can't help but feel guilty sir,"

"What for Colonel?"

"The fact that, these people were here, to help Ellen, and the person they were trying to protect her from, killed Peter, while she was here trying to save Carter's life. She left them behind in Australia, to come here to help us, and now her life's been taken from her, and there isn't anything that we can do to help her." Jack sighed, looking back towards the door, only to see Jacob walking out with his arms wrapped tightly around a distraught Mac.

That night, they took Mac back to the motel unit that they booked. She was curled up on the bed that Pete had occupied only hours before. As there was a knock at the door, Oscar got up to answer it, as Angie was in the shower trying to get the blood off her as she was crying and fumbling with the thought of Pete yet again. And Danni was in with Mac talking to her gently. As he opened the door, he gave a sad smile to Jack, Jacob, Janet and Hammond.

"Hi," he whispered.

"We thought that maybe you guys might get a bit hungry?" Janet said gently, holding up the bags of take-away. Smiling gently he nodded.

"Yeah and thirsty!" Jack grinned.

"Thanks guys, but…" Sighing he shrugged, before letting them in.

"OSCAR!" Ange screamed. Running to the bathroom door he knocked gently.

"Hey Ange you alright?"

"I can't get it off! Please get it off!" She cried.

"Sweetie just calm down for me ok? Just use the scrubbing brush and soap." He called through the door.

"It won't come off!" She cried, before slipping down the tiles. "It won't come out!" She cried.

"Angie, I need you to open the door, sweetie, unlock the door for me,"

"No!" She cried.

"Ange!"

"It won't come off!" She screamed hysterically.

"Stoney?" Danni questioned moving out of the room, closing the door. "Is she alright?"

"Not really, the blood won't come off and she freaking out, it's…"

"I'll talk to her if you want to check on Mac?" Sighing he nodded.

"Oh hey um, Jack and a few others are here too, brought food and stuff," he mumbled, getting her to turn around, and look at them, forcing a sad smile.

"Hi," she whispered, before turning back to the door, after their sad smiles registered in her memory. "Angie honey, its Danni…"

"Danni it won't come off, help me!" She called, through sobs.

"I can't help unless you unlock the door angel, can you do that for me? Can you unlock the door for me so I can help?" She called gently, which got the lock turning a few minutes later. Once unlocked she slipped into the bathroom.

"Oh my god," Janet whispered, tears stinging her eyes.

"Doc?" Jack questioned looking at her.

"There a mess sir! I wouldn't be surprised if a few of them end up with…" She stopped as a phone was heard. Turning they looked at one of the bedroom doors as it opened and Stoney walked out with Mac. Sniffling she wiped the tears from her eyes, and looked at her phone.

"Mackenzie!" She stated.

"Ellen, its Gordon, have your team been able to contact you?"

"Yes sir, they're here, I'm with Ange, Danni, and Oscar at the moment."

"What about Church didn't he go with them?" Swallowing she looked at her trembling hands. "Detective?"

"I… I'm here," she whispered. "Um sir, Peter he…" She looked at the ceiling and took a deep breath. "He was shot, sir… he um… he died instantly."

"Holy Shit! Ellen, I'm so sorry I know you…"

"Sir with all due respect I really don't want to talk about it," she said gently.

"Sorry of course, I'll have the jet ready and get them to fly over and pick you all up, a sap!"

"Yes sir," she stated clearing her throat. "Commissioner, sir,"

"What is it Ellen?"

"When I was talking to Pete the other week, he had your name at the top of his list sir," she whispered. "I just thought you'd like to know how he felt about you, how he looked up to you."

"Ellen you don't have to do this,"

"I know but working with him, I suppose a few things were bound to rub off," she smiled gently. "Gordon, he always said he never wanted a proper police burial, but…"

"It'll all be taken care of when you bring him home Ellen,"

"Thankyou sir," she whispered, before hanging up, and looking at her phone. At the wallpaper, the picture of her and Pete, in happier times.

After Ange had finished her shower, and Sarah was sleeping soundly in one of the rooms, Mac, Oscar, Danni, and Ange sat down with Janet, Jack, Jacob, and Hammond to eat the take-away food, and have a few drinks. When the group was more then slightly inebriated, the stories started to flow.

"Remember Danni's first shift when he got her thinking that he was the boss!" Ange stated smiling.

"Yeah or what about when he found out about Sarah!" Stoney put in. Smiling they nodded.

"Ange when Bernie went into that restaurant and we needed to get Stoney out in the street and all Pete said was 'Ange, do your blonde thing'?" Mac smiled at her.

"Oh, what about just after Sarah was born!" Danni smiled. "He went to mush!" She giggled. "That was SO cute, the big tough Peter Church, turns to mush at the sight of his daughter!" She smiled, as the others laughed.

"Doc, is this normal?" Jack whispered. Shrugging she nodded.

"It can be for some people, but they are intoxicated Colonel, the alcohol can be playing more of a part of this then we can see. Some people act like this to help, others just keep everything inside." She whispered back.

"Ellen, what about your fear when I first met Peter?" Jacob stated which got her laughing for the first time that afternoon. Nodding she smiled.

"The big tough Peter Church was scared of Jacob!" She giggled taking another sip of her beer, as Oscar and the girls laughed.

"Your not serious!" Danni laughed, smiling she nodded.

"Sure am!" She grinned.

"Oh my god Mac that's classic!" Suddenly everything went quite, as they started looking at each other.

"We shouldn't be like this," Ange said gently. As they sighed and nodded.

"Guys just because he's gone, it doesn't mean that he would want you to be sad and not move on in life," Jack said gently. Looking up at him, the group frowned and suddenly he saw anger rising in all of them. "Oops," he whispered.

"Jack's probably right," Mac mumbled, which got them to nod, and calm down. "I'm going to bed, and check on Sarah." She sighed, getting up. Turning she forced a sad smile at the group. "Thanks, it's nice to see that people, who don't know him, actually care about us." She stated, walking to the room.

Waking the following morning, Mac groaned, rubbing her forehead before looking at Sarah who was perched over her hips giggling, and rubbing her mothers expanding stomach. Smiling up at the little girl, Mac reached for her.

"Hey come here Sarah," she said gently, watching her as the small child crawled along her mother's torso, until she snuggled into her chest and Mac wrapped her arms around her little girl. Sighing she squeezed her gently. "Daddy is so proud of you," she whispered, before a knock interrupted her. "Yep!" She called looking over Sarah as the door opened.

"Morning," Janet smiled.

"Morning,"

"How are you this morning?"

"Not too bad, you?"

"I think the alcohol and lack of food thanks to you and the Colonel has a very bad impact on my health this morning," Janet smiled walking over and sitting on the edge of the bed. "How is she?"

"Good, I don't think it's all sunk in yet, but we'll see," Mac smiled gently, as Janet nodded.

"And what about you? You say your fine, but after last night I'm not too sure about that,"

"Uh-o, why don't I like the sound of that?" She smiled gently. Smiling Janet shook her head.

"No it's nothing like that, it's just how you all were talking about him, and reminiscing on the 'old times', and different things. I understand that you miss him Ellen, but I just can not shake this feeling I get every time I see you and Sarah. It's like that there is something in you that is holding you together, and yet the same thing is tearing you apart!" Janet whispered. Sighing she nodded.

"Yeah I suppose there is something in there. But I just don't want to face it yet, I think maybe after the funeral, but I really don't want to do anything right now, I just want to get it over with and try to 'move on'" she whispered, mocking the final phrase she said. Smiling gently, Janet nodded.

"Yeah I understand, maybe the Colonel might understand better, as he's been through this sort of loss before apparently, but I don't really know."

"Yeah he has, it was…" stopping Mac sighed, sitting up, and holding Sarah tightly to her. "It's not my place to say," she replied gently. Nodding Janet smiled again.

"Well breakfast is almost ready if you want to get changed or have a shower or something, and tell the others?" she asked gently. Nodding Mac smiled as Janet left and closed the door gently behind her, giving her the privacy that she still required. However as Mac watched the door closing behind Janet, she felt as though she had been left alone yet again, shut out, having the only people that she cared for even the slightest bit taken away from her. Snatched away from her.


	6. Chapter 5

Groaning, Sam shifted in the bed slightly. As she slowly became conscious pain radiated through her body, as fast and as painful as a bolt of lightening running through her. Swallowing she glanced around, unable to make things out. Squeezing her eyes closed she sighed and fell back against her pillows as the door opened.

"Hey sleepy head," a small voice said gently. Looking around she smiled at the familiar face.

"Janet…" She whispered.

"Yeah it's me, how are you feeling?"

"Like I've been hit by a MAC truck!" She sighed, as Janet smiled.

"Sounds about right. You've had us all a bit worried…" As she drifted off, she saw Sam's gaze shift to just over her shoulder. Turning Janet smiled gently.

"Ellie," Sam whispered, smiling.

"Hey, how's the head? Heard you got shot, and died? Did you go to heaven or hell? Meet anyone we might know?" She smiled sadly. Smiling gently, she nodded.

"Yeah actually," she frowned, watching her. "I went to heaven of course, as I'm an angel," she smiled slyly. "But I saw… I saw…" Frowning she sighed.

"It's ok, I was just playing around," she said gently.

"No! Ellie, I saw Peter. He… We talked a bit, and he said he's sorry, and that I had to stay strong and fight," she whispered, watching as Ellen turned away slightly. "Ellie, what's going on?"

"Peter died two days ago Sam, I'm here saying goodbye, I have to go home for the funeral. The jet will be waiting for me soon. Jack said he'd take Sarah and me to the airport. I'm glad your ok and you have to fight this alright? I gave Janet something to help you, but you're going to have to do most of it on your own. The drugs will only last another month, and if you can't help your self within that time, then…"

"Ellie I'm sorry about Pete, but I promise you that when I'm well enough I'll call you ok? I'll come over and we can just talk yeah?"

"I'm afraid that will be impossible, Captain," looking around she saw the General and smiled, slightly.

"What do you mean general?'

"I mean that after Ellen goes back to Australia to bury her husband she will be escorted back to her house, where she'll pack some things and will be on the first plane back here. Captain I am not impressed that you told her about…"

ELLEN!" She yelled, only to see Mac cringe, and shrug slightly.

"I didn't want to, but Jacob made me, he said it would be the only way for them to trust me, so that I could help you." She whispered.

"Oh, but STILL!" She huffed. "How did you help me by the way?" She frowned.

"Those 'drugs' I told you I gave Janet?"

"Ye-ah?"

"It's based on Goa'uld symbiote blood, with a few other things in there. Jack, Daniel and Major Roberts took me to Argos, where that Goa'uld who tortured Jack…"

"Ba'al,"

"Yeah him, he was there, and well let's just say if you start to get over possessive of people… cough Jack cough…"

"Hey shut up you," she smiled.

"Yeah well, anyway," she smiled, "it'll be, because the symbiote I used was Ba'al himself, after I killed him, and," sighing, she shrugged. "I just had everything running through my head and I didn't really know what I was doing. And I started saying all this stuff, and Jack thought I had a snake in my head, and…"

"I told you Ellie, you can understand Goa'uld! AND not to mention… Hang on you haven't told them everything have you?" She frowned. Shaking her head Jack walked in.

"Ready?" He asked gently, holding Sarah, as he peered into the room. "Hey Carter! Welcome back to the land of the living!" He grinned at her, as she smiled gently, and nodded.

"Yeah I'm ready," she whispered, flashing a slight smile at Sam, before leaving the room.

As she stood in the front row, of the many people, Mac couldn't help the tears that were slipping down her cheeks. Her three best friends, who were also her co-workers, her daughter, and Jack all stood at attention with her. Gripping her hand Ange couldn't help the tears either. As they stood there, watching the coffin being lowered into the grave, their fellow colleagues of the police force, moved around and positioned themselves in front of them, on the other side of the grave. Many still standing behind them, the commissioner, inspectors, and several sergeants were amongst the few that took up that position, and saluted them.

"On behalf of the entire police force, we acknowledge the work, and continued commitment that senior constable Peter Church put into his work. He was one of the older styles of police, and went against many rules. However this usually paid off when the results worked in his favour and he got his team mates out of trouble." Taking a breath the commissioner took a step forward before continuing. "He was a family man, and loved every part of his life. He was a loving husband, and a caring father. His legacy will live on in his daughter. She was what made the man turn to mush. She is his treasure and will be forever in our hearts, as will her mother." He stated looking at Mac, who was trying to keep the cascading tears at bay, for her daughter.

"This is a man who hated police functions, and parties altogether, unless of course they were with his family and three best friends. Peter was always in some sort of trouble, and with IA always breathing down his neck he made sure that there was always something for them to do. As he would always say 'they don't do anything, so why not make them actually do something'" the commissioner's voice started to crack, but he knew he had to power though. "Peter was the son that his previous boss and my self never had. He was always pushing boundaries, and wanting more. Never sitting still for five minutes, and enough energy to keep a six year old at bay. Or better still to make them tired by lunch time," he smiled.

"Peter Church may you rest in peace, and god bless your family." He finished by bowing his head as did all members behind him, before the entire congregation were bowing their heads, and taking a few minutes to morn his passing, and think about how he touched their life's in one way or another.

After the service, Mac was watching from a distance as Jack made sure he stayed by her side, despite what people were starting to think. She saw Sarah move over to the open grave and sit on the edge, dangling her legs into the grave. As she looked at the coffin, she sniffled, before starting to push small amounts of dirt from the heap beside her onto the coffin.

"Daddy, mummy says that you're in a better place, that you're not hurting anymore. But daddy, mummy is hurting lots! And she said that now we have to go and stay with auntie Sam. Mummy's sad daddy and I'm sad because mummy's sad, and I just want you to come home and make everything all better like always," she whispered.

"Sarah," a small voice whispered which got her to look up and stare right into Jack's eyes. "Sweetie, it's time to go home, and pack some things. I'm going to take mummy and you home and then you're going to come with me and see Auntie Sam how does that sound? You can sit with Auntie Sam and help her get better?" He said gently to which the four year old smiled and nodded. Jumping up she grinned at him.

"I'm ready; I want to see Auntie Sam!" She grinned, all sadness forgotten.

"Ok, let's go find mummy," he said gently.

"Mummy?"

"Yes Sarah?"

"Mummy, my Fron hurts,"

"Just let me finish this with Daniel, Sarah."

"But it weally hurts!" Sighing Ellen gave a slight smile to Daniel before looking at Sarah.

"Ok where does it hurt?"

"Here." She whispered pointing to her right temple.

"Ok, I'll get you something, in a minute ok? I just have to finish here, and then we'll get you all better alright?" Sniffling she nodded, before letting her head rest on the cold desk in front of her.

"Hi kids, what ya doin'?"

"Just taking a look at this 'thing' SG7 brought back, for Sam while she's still with Janet," Ellen said as she continued to fiddle with it.

"Well shouldn't you wait until Carter is right before you go fiddling?"

"Mm, no, not really. She won't mind, she…"

"What are you doing?" A gasp came from the door, which got them all to look at her.

"Nothing," Ellen smiled innocently.

"Nothing my butt!" Sam exclaimed walking into the room. Sighing she looked at Sam and smiled.

"Sorry I just got a bit interested,"

"Well…" Stopping her eyes widened before looking at Ellen. "Please don't tell me you pulled this apart!"

"Of course, you think I'd let Daniel touch it?" She smirked. "No offence Daniel," Ellen smiled at him.

"None taken," he smiled back.

"Ok so what is it then?" Sam sighed looking at her.

"Um, well we haven't quite worked that out, yet."

"Mummy…"

"Okay, Sarah Auntie Sam's here I'll get you something,"

"What's wrong with her?" Sam questioned, frowning.

"Oh just a headache," she smiled. "Nothing to be alarmed about, have fun with that." Ellen smiled, before picking Sarah up and leaving the room. Groaning she nodded.

"Yeah thanks," Sam mumbled.

"If it's any conciliation, we thought it might be some sort of communication device, and it wasn't my idea to open it, Ellen just…"

"What did you say?"

"What?" He frowned.

"You thought it was what?"

"A communication device…" As he drifted off, Sam was already tearing around the corner and out of her lab. Looking at each other the boys quickly decided to follow.

"Ellen!" She yelled, as they got to her quarters. Without knocking on the door she threw it open. Jumping Ellen turned looking at her, sighing before looking back at Sarah.

"Haven't you heard of…?"

"You know what it is, don't you?"

"No,"

"Ellen!"

"Alright yes I do, what's the big problem?"

"You can't just do this, Ellie! People will work things out!"

"Work what things out?" Daniel frowned as they looked up to see him standing in the doorway next to Jack.

"And what's that?" Swallowing Ellen looked at Sam as she turned back around.

"That's the Clavia to help with my Fron," Sarah said gently, sitting up looking at them.

"What?" Jack frowned?

"Um, it's like baby Panadol," Mac said quickly.

"Oh, then what…"

"She makes things up, you know what kids are like," she smiled. "Sarah makes up her own language or words for different things," Mac smiled. Nodding he sighed.

"Oh, ok, it just sounded familiar to me that's all," Jack mumbled, as Daniel turned to him, whispering.

"It should Jack; you spoke that for a few days a few years ago. It's ancient!"

"Oh… OH!" Spinning around, he looked at them. "Sarah,"

"Yes?"

"What does Fron mean?"

"Head"

"And what about Clavia?"

"Key," she smiled.

"Oh, ok so what if I said, 'the Clavia to your problem is your Fron' that would mean?" Giggling, she smiled at him.

"That means, 'the key to my problem is my head'" she stated, with a grin.

"Oh," turning he looked at Daniel. "Well what would ya know?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Mac stated.

"It means we know what she said," Daniel stated. "That's not just any made up language, that's an actual language. It's called 'ancient'"

"What's 'ancient'?" Sarah frowned.

"It's what you just spoke, it's different to our language and it sounds a bit wrong," he smiled gently. Frowning she glared at him.

"There is nothing Cruvis with it! You're Dorentus! It's not Cruvis!" She yelled.

"Sarah!" Mac exclaimed. Huffing she looked away.

"Sorry mummy."

"It's ok, but don't speak like that ok?"

"But… but…"

"I mean it Sarah!" Sighing she nodded.

"Ok,"

"Carter, I think it's about time you two came clean!" Jack stated looking between Mac and Sam.

"What do you mean?" Sam questioned innocently.

"You know what I mean Carter! I mean why can she speak and understand Goa'uld, and now she's speaking ancient to her daughter, which just doesn't add up, and its leaving me off balance!" He stated, looking at them. Sighing Mac stood from the bed, and moved to stand next to Sam.

"Don't go off at her, she's just been trying to protect us…"

"Ellen don't,"

"I have to Sam; we knew it was bound to come out, sooner or later right?"

"Yes, but…"

"We'll be ok," she smiled gently.

"Ok," she sighed looking at them. "I can speak both languages, as can Sarah; we both have what you call 'the ancient gene' and can understand it. I mean we can speak it, write it, and read it. However Sarah's still learning a few things. And I can also read, write, and speak Goa'uld. There you happy? You've found out all our secrets," she mumbled before moving back to Sarah, to make sure she was ok."

"Did your husband know about this?"

"No, only Sam did, I thought I was going crazy when I started speaking them, but after she started here I was her point of reference," she sighed.

"So you're telling me that, you can not only understand Goa'uld, AND ancient better then anyone else on this base, but you can also read and write it?" Hammond questioned in utter shock. Sighing Mac nodded.

"Yes, that's exactly what we're saying,"

"Captain?"

"Sorry sir, but it was for their own safety, if the NID found out about them, they would do everything to get to them, and nothing would stop them. Sir Ellen and Sarah are my family, and I wasn't going to let the NID get anywhere near them!" Sam stated looking at him, as he sighed and nodded.

"She has a point there general," Jack butted in.

"I'm aware of that Colonel,"

"Oh, okay then."

"So now what do we do?" Mac questioned, looking at Hammond.

"Well that's more up to you then me…"

"Do you have to tell this to anyone? I mean after all America has the 'president' and all," she stated with a slight mock. "I'm sure you'd be telling him, when you got the chance!" she huffed.

"No Ellen, if you didn't want me to, then I would respect those wishes and I would not tell him. Only because the chef of staff, who happens to also be the secretary of defence, has his fingers in with the NID." Hammond stated watching her.

"Oh," she mumbled. "I guess I'm sorry for that comment then,"

"Okay, look we can get you some sort of job here, we can make something up, but you have to be careful with what you say and when you say it, alright?"

"Yes," she sighed, thinking of Sarah, and Peter.

"Alright, that's a start. Now as for Sarah I'm sure doctor Frasier wouldn't mind looking after her, when you're busy with something. But…"

"General if I may, I want your main concern to be on Sarah, if anything happens to me then this is all she'll ever know. This mountain, these people, the gate, these languages, this will be her entire life, and I don't think anything could or would change that. I mean if I were to get hit by a bus tomorrow, I'd want her here with you, with your people, with Sam. I'd want her where I knew she'd be safe. She loves Sam, and she doesn't so mind Jack either." She smiled slightly, bowing her head before taking a breath and continuing.

"But I don't want her going back to Australia, if the NID know about us. As you are aware they will stop at nothing to track her down. At lest having her here she is protected by many more then three people." She said looking directly into his eyes. Smiling he nodded. Before looking at a smiling Sam, and Jack. As his eyes skirted around the room in thought he couldn't help but notice the small smile that had crept on his own face.

"Ok, we'll do what we can to keep her here, if anything is to happen to you Ellen, but we can't guarantee that the NID wont come after her, and when she gets older we can't guarantee that she'll stay here, that she wont rebel, and want to know nothing about this program…"

"General, Sarah is very bright and she is well aware that her ancestors left their mark on her for a reason. She will do as she is wished, rather then commanded to do." Mac stated watching the older man smile and nod yet again.

"Okay, we'll do our best Ellen." Smiling she nodded.

"Thankyou General."

"Hey!" Jack called jogging after her. "What did you mean by 'she will do as she is wished, rather then commanded to do'?" Jack frowned, as they started to walk the remainder of the hall together.

"Jack, before you joined the air force, what were you like? I mean did you always do what you were told to do? Did you rebel when someone told you to do something? But obliged when you were rather asked?" She asked gently stopping outside her quarters.

"I guess, but everyone's like that! And just to let you know, I still don't do what I'm told to some times," he whispered, which got a smile from Mac.

"That I am aware of!" Smiling at the look he gave her, she couldn't help it. "Blame your subordinate," she smirked.

"Carter!" He exclaimed, "Wait 'til I get my hands…"

"On her?" She questioned, "Jack if you ever listen to anyone in your life make it me, and make it now. Sam loves you, and I can see that you love her. Please don't make her do something she's going to regret! She told me about Pete and I haven't met him, but I already don't like him! Get your ass into gear and tell her how you feel! For everyone's sakes please!" She stated before retreating into her quarters, leaving a shocked and overwhelmed Jack standing there facing the door.


	7. Chapter 6

"You know what? I really miss Mac; you think we could call and see if she can talk?" Danni questioned looking at the duo in front of her. Sighing they shrugged.

"I don't think so Dan, you heard what Jack said." Ange mumbled. "He said that she'll be unreachable, and if she wasn't, the call would be rejected. To give her time to adjust to her new life, and all that bullshit! I mean why did they have to take her and Sarah back there, this is where she belongs! This is her home, this is her life, and we're her family!" She huffed.

"Do you think that's what Pete meant when he told you that 'she belongs with her family'?" Stoney questioned, with a slight frown.

"Maybe I don't know, and right now all I want is to see my best friend and her daughter again!" Ange whispered as a tear dribbled slowly down onto her cheek, like a snowflake floating softly and gently to the ground.

"Me too," Danni stated, sighing wrapping her arm around Ange.

"Me three," Stoney mumbled. "But we can't do anything about it, I mean even if we went back to America, and wanted to see her, we'd be lucky to find her let alone get some time with her to just see how she's going,"

"We're aware of that Oscar, but we can't just sit here all day and do nothing! It's only been what a week since Pete's funeral, and just under that since she left again, but this time we knew she wasn't coming back. And you know what I highly doubt that she was meant to let us know that she wasn't coming back. I mean did you see the looks we got from Jack? It was like he knew she told us something, but he had no proof and wasn't going to test the waters while Mac was the mess that she was!" Danni stated, bowing her head, before looking up at them.

"I've gotta go," Ange whispered standing.

"What? Where?"

"Just… Don't worry I'll be in touch,"

"Ange if you're thinking about going to America to see if you can find Mac, you can't! And if you say you can, then we're coming with you! There is no way I'm letting you walk about some foreign place without back up!" Oscar stated watching her. Sniffling she shrugged, before heading to her car.

"So, this 'mission' is it like when Jack, Daniel, Roberts and I went through to save your ass?" Mac questioned. Laughing Sam nodded.

"Yeah something like that. But this time it's just you, me, Daniel, and the Colonel." Sam smiled, gently. "As well as SG2 actually." She added as an after thought.

"Sam why do you call him, 'Colonel' or 'Sir' all the time? Why don't you just say 'hey Jack come over here! There's this really cool rock thing that I need to take back'?" She questioned. Smiling Sam shook her head. "Why not?"

"We're in the military Ellie, its respect for not only a fellow officer, but for a superior officer."

"Yadda, yadda, yadda, yadda… Sam I was in the police force remembers? Anyway, stuff all that shit! Make a move before it's too late! I've only seen you two around each other for a few weeks now, but you two dance around each other, and flirt like mad, but you stay in the boundaries of the regulations, and what the military code is!"

"Ellie…"

"Sam you know I love you, and I know that you're unhappy! Please do something to help yourself! I know you love him, and I can see he love's you as well… Don't throw this away because of the regulations, or because your scared about loosing your career!" Mac stated looking into the blue depths of her younger sister's eyes. Sighing Sam knew when she was defeated and when not to continue with something she wasn't ever going to win.

As the two stepped into the 'gate-room Ellen's eyes widened even further then what they did the first time she set her eyes on the Stargate. Smiling at her Sam took her hand in hers and squeezed it gently. Looking in wonder and true amazement from Sam to the Stargate Ellen couldn't help the grin that was now seeping from a small infectious smile from her younger sister, into the biggest grin of excitement and adventure.

"Ok kids, let's move out!" Jack called out to his team. As the four of them moved through the room, and up the ramp the Generals voice filtered through the room.

"Colonel O'Neill, you know your objectives. If you do not make contact with us in the allotted time your codes will be locked out of the system, and the iris will be closed permanently."

"Understood General! Lets move out!" As they walked through the Stargate, Ellen clutched Sam's hand tightly. As they came out the other side she inhaled deeply and shivered slightly.

"Damn its cold!"

"You're telling me!"

"Come on kids, no time to play battle of the sexes, SG-2 stay and look after the 'gate. SG-1 lets move out!"

"So what's this place called?"

"Ah… We code all of the destinations that the computer spits out, so this one is P3X…"

"Get down!" Jack's whispered hiss came running through their minds, as everyone went for cover. As the group of people started getting closer Daniel stepped out moving to talk to them, which got the other three out of the bushes. "Daniel, get them to take us to the nearest city," Jack stated with a sigh. Before anyone knew what was happening, they were surrounded by several other people, holding weapons at them.

"Well this is a cliché!"

"Drop your weapons!"

"I don't think so…"

"Kree!"

"Shel Kree!"

"Shol'vah!"

"Re'nuk'tok…"

"What do you want?"

"Drop your weapons!"

"No! What do you want?"

"If you do not do as I say you will be put in front of your god and be punished!"

"Our god is in the heavens above us!" Ellen retorted quickly. Before anyone knew what was happening they heard a clicking noise seconds before a bright light appeared and they were all knocked out.

"Colonel?"

"Here Carter,"

"Ellie?"

"Sam? I can't see anything, where are we?"

"Not sure, I can't see anything either, Colonel?"

"Ah, we're in a prison," Daniel stated.

"A what?" Ellen questioned, before her vision started to blur in front of her. "Oh, wait I think I can see something,"

"Yeah me too, it's all a bit blurry though."

"Sir?"

"Yeah it's all coming around…" He mumbled.

"Ah this isn't a good sign," Mac said gently.

"Ya think?" Jack snapped, pulling himself up off the floor.

"No you don't understand! This REALLY isn't a good sign!"

"Why?" Daniel questioned walking over to the trio.

"Because we'll be here until this place is full! If Sam and I don't get taken away first, this room will be filled within the next couple of weeks, and then the 'gods'" she mocked rolling her eyes. "Will come in here and choose who will be their children, I mean…"

"They'll take them, and put a symbiote in them!" Daniel stated.

"Ah yeah something like that," she mumbled.

"And if you and Carter get taken first? What did you mean by that?"

"Um, well… The queen of the god of this land, um…"

"The symbiote needs a new human host,"

"Yeah," she whispered, swallowing and nodding.

"Over my dead body!" Jack snapped.

"It just might be," Mac stated getting to her feet quickly as the doors opened, and several of the same kind of people walked in, holding weapons. "Ok I take it that their, the infamous staff weapons, but who are they?"

"They look like jaffa,"

"I should have known that right?"

"No, not necessarily." Sam put in quickly. Swallowing Mac nodded.

"Shel Kree! Greshtah, it is now time!"

"Time?" Daniel whispered.

"What's he saying?" Jack mumbled.

"He said shut up, then called us outcasts,"

"You have to prove if you are kek! Before coroshi'nai and jomo'sequ!"

"Ellen?" Jack questioned.

"We have to prove if we are weak before they let us go and have right to leadership, basically… It's a rough translation, because it can't be translated, and make sense." She whispered, watching as the one jaffa moved towards her. Swallowing she took a step back.

"Ha'shak, Shol'vah!"

"We know the Goa'uld's aren't real gods, help us," she whispered watching him, as he continued to advance. Moving quickly Jack stepped between them.

"Hey how about you hit me instead!"

"What you speak is false, and you will pay for your insolence!"

"Jaffa, Teal'c…"

"If you know my name…"

"I know you fled here to Chulak because Chronis killed your father for retreating from a battle that could not be won. I know that you promised your self that you would become the best jaffa, the strongest jaffa, and you pledged your allegiance's to Apophis! If you help us…"

"Stop this! You know nothing!"

"We can not stay here, I know you are smart enough to realise that you have never encountered a race of people such as us before. You are young for a jaffa! And we are young as a race. But if we work together we can be strong and defeat the Goa'uld!"

"Where are you from?" He questioned through seething teeth.

"Earth…"

"Your words mean nothing to me!"

"Ah, excuse me," Daniel stated, before crouching down, and drawing the earth symbol. "This is where we're from," looking from Daniel to the symbol, he drew a line through it, smudging it, before looking at Mac.

"Who are you?"

"Help us and I'll let you know,"

"What you ask is impossible! Apophis will know I've been talking to you, and he will call for my death!"

"No he won't! He is NOT a god!" She seethed in return, which got him to turn on his heals and leave the cell.

"Way to go Ellen!" Jack sighed. "I thought you were trying to get him to help us, not to turn his back on us and leave us here for…"

"Jack…" She said gently, looking at him, as he turned to her. "Just bloody SHUT THE HELL UP!" And with that Ellen moved across the large cell to slump against the furthest wall.

It had been several days since their first and last encounter with Teal'c. No one had entered the cell since. They were still the only four people in the large cell.

"You know I thought you said that within a few DAYS this place would be full, and we could get out of here!" Jack snapped, getting sick and tired of sitting around doing nothing, to save him self, and those in his company.

"Yeah well, I'm not sure if you noticed, but after all I had no idea that who we encountered was jaffa until I was told! Just because I can speak and understand the language does NOT mean I bloody know every FUCKING THING!" Ellen yelled from across the room.

"Hey! Just because you screwed up…"

"Just because you're so fucking useless, doesn't give you reason to blame me! I said what I had to say! If he doesn't trust us or if we end up being Goa'uld hosts it's NOT my fault!"

"ENOUGH!" Sam yelled, getting up, looking at the duo. "If you want to yell at each other get closer so we don't have to hear everything! We are all in this together, and it's all our faults! Its Daniel's for talking to those priests, the colonel for not letting us drop our weapons, Ellie's for talking to that jaffa, and mine because I believed it would be best if we came here! So try and get over the fact that we're stuck here!" She snapped. Sighing Mac glared at Jack, before looking away.

"Sorry Sammie," Mac said gently, but kept her gaze away from Jack.

"It's not me you should be apologising to, Ellen,"

"He doesn't deserve it!" She huffed.

"Well that statements mutual!" Jack retorted. Just before the doors opened. Looking up they saw Teal'c standing there watching us. "What?"

"Colonel!"

"Don't 'Colonel' me Carter! I'm not in the mood!" Jack snapped. As Teal'c looked around he saw Mac sitting on the opposite side of the cell, and moved across to her. Watching Sam jumped up and went to move but Daniel stopped her.

"Just wait a minute," he whispered, which got Jack standing with the duo.

"You say you know me?" He whispered looking down upon her. Shrugging she kept her eyes fixed on the opened door of the cell. "Why are you here?"

"Ask them" she mumbled.

"You understand Goa'uld; it is you to whom I will speak!"

"Well then you're wasting your breath!"

"Shel Kree!"

"No!" She snapped getting up, and glaring at him. "Kill us if you must, if that's what you're here for, but remember this! Our Calak's, we Shakka Mel!" She hissed.

"Ha'taka! Your kek will please!"

"Our Kek will bring us to Kelmah!"

"Do you kids think you can speak in English?" Jack called as they moved closer.

"If you are here to kill us jaffa do it, don't procrastinate, and drag out the inevitable!"

"Did you just give him permission to kill us?" Jack questioned.

"If you are who you say you are, then I will help you, but I can not help you escape!"

"Then get our vests, the guns, get us what we had with us when we were brought here," she said gently, watching him. Inclining his head slightly, he turned and left the room.

"Okay, so what did we just work out?"

"He's going to get us our vest, guns and stuff. He said he'll help us, but will not help us escape."

"Great!" Jack grinned.

"Hmmm," Mac mumbled, before sitting back on the ground.

"You're not happy at the prospect of going home? Going back to Sarah?" Jack frowned.

"I'm not happy at the prospect that we could get caught, and that so will he and we won't be able to get out alive, or at all, without becoming Goa'uld hosts!" She sighed, looking at her hands. "And I'm pretty sure I speak for everyone when I say I'd rather die then become a host!" She stated which got three nods.

"Colonel, what the hell is going on? And who is that? Do you know what he is?!"

"Yes sir! This man saved our lives, he helped us escape!"

"General, we were taken prisoners over a week ago, Teal'c helped us in breaking out and getting back home," Mac stated looking at him as Sarah tared into the room, and ran up the ramp.

"MUMMY!" She squealed. Smiling Mac crouched down grabbing the child into a tight hug.

"Hey," she whispered holding her tightly. "Have you been a good girl?" She mumbled against Sarah's hair. Nodding she pulled back.

"Yes! Mummy, I did nothing Cruvis, Janet let me Dormata in the infirmary, and we talked and she took me outside when there was Ventio, and we had a really good time!" She grinned. "My Fron doesn't hurt anymore, and I don't get Laccon easily anymore either!" She grinned, to which Mac smiled and nodded.

"That's good to hear!"

"You understood all that?" Hammond and Daniel questioned simultaneously. Looking up at them, before she stood picking Sarah up, she nodded.

"Yep!"

"What did she say?" Daniel asked. "All I got was she did nothing wrong and something about her head…" He frowned. Smiling she nodded.

"Yeah, um she said she did nothing wrong, Janet let her sleep in the infirmary. Um… Janet took her outside when it was windy. Her head doesn't hurt anymore and she doesn't get lost easily anymore." Mac relayed gently.

"Oh well then, that's great to hear Sarz!" Daniel smiled. Nodding she grinned at him.

"Alright SG-1 and 2, go shower and get checked out. Airman take Mr Teal'c to the holding rooms."

As the days rolled into weeks, and the weeks slowly rolled into months Sarah and Ellen had seen and heard things that no one ever thought possible. They were both now members of the SCG and Ellen was teamed not only with Sam for the research on the devices that were brought back, but she was also teamed with Daniel to help with the translations of several worlds they came across. In amongst all this General Hammond took it upon himself to make her the fifth person in SG-1.

Thus making the front line team with the most members. While the other SG teams still had their four members stance, Hammond saw it as a great advantage to have someone who could understand and speak both Goa'uld and ancient fluently, without having to refer to any books or notes that may or may not be at the SCG.

"So… How does it feel to be Earth's frontline of defence?" Jack asked as they walked through the dense bush land of P4X 55A.

"Well it's not that bad, considering I once thought I was going to end up in a psych institution." She smiled at him. Laughing he nodded.

"Yeah well you still might end up there, I mean you've been to one haven't ya Danny boy!" Jack called over his shoulder to which Daniel sunk slightly. Smiling she watched him.

"That was utterly cruel, Colonel!" Ellen huffed, at which he shrugged.

"So, Ellen? Or do you prefer… What was it? Mac?" He frowned. Smiling at him she nodded.

"Yeah Mac, and I don't mind, working in the police force, my unit had a habit of shortening everyone's names or giving them a nickname within their first two shifts, but then you had to be you outside the unit. So I'm used to both."

"Oh ok, sounds like Jack was working with you then," he mumbled.

"Yeah I suppose, Daniel. But Peter was the one that came up with it somehow, and he changed everyone's names in one way or another," she smiled slightly. Nodding he watched her, as the smile faded, and he saw a slight glimpse of hurt flash across her face.

"Um, I'm sorry I didn't mean to…"

"It's alright, it's been six months and Sarah and I are better off here anyway, I think. There's too much back in Australia that would remind us everyday. While here it's like some things remind me, especially Sarz, but when you weigh everything up I think that the heartache is over the worst part of it." She smiled at him and Sam wrapped an arm around her.

"Hold up kids." Jack stated looking around the deserted area.

"Sir?" Sam questioned moving up to stand by his side as she also took in the surroundings. "I thought that this…"

"Yup!" he stated turning back to the trio behind them. "Time to go, kids. Back home and report," he stated walking through them, as they moved out of his way.

"Sam?" Mac frowned.

"The place is deserted. This was supposed to be the beta site, only the Colonel, myself and General Hammond knew that it was here. Obviously so did the personnel here, but no one else, and…"

"Carter's! Daniel! And T lets go!" Jack yelled.

"Ok there's something I'm not getting used to," Mac smiled.

"Give it time Ellie, give it time." Sam smiled. Before they walked off after Jack.


	8. Chapter 7

"Report Colonel!"

"Place is deserted general. Not even a scrape of dust there!" looking at the group as shock dawned over his face, Sam stepped up.

"General, the Colonel's right, there was literally nothing there. No base, no personnel, no hostiles, no refugee's, nothing!" she stated watching his shocked expression turn to one of fear.

"Alright, briefing at 1700, your dismissed." And with that they exited the gate room, before the shell-shocked general, and the army of personnel who is always there ready and awaiting the order to shoot on site.

As the group of five sat down and a waited for the arrival of General Hammond, they looked at each other, every now and then. Jack and Sam would share a glance every few minutes, after their eyes wondered around the room. Both could read the fear and anguish on the others features and in their eyes. Not only about what had happened on P4X 55A, but for what is going to happen. How many other people knew about the site, how many other people would have used it as a reference if tortured? Their gazes finally met and held for what seemed like hours, until the general's voice cut them from their day dreaming, gazes.

"Alright Colonel, let's hear it,"

"Sir as I said when we got back, there was nothing there. It's like it was either blown up a few weeks ago, as there was nothing in the air and we were there, about a month ago anyway. Or the entire site has been moved somehow. Asgard transportation devices or god knows what, but there isn't anything there!" sighing he nodded.

"Captain?"

"I agree with the Colonel, General." Nodding he looked at the other three in the room.

"Ellen? Daniel?" looking across the table to each other, Mac's eyes hit the table first, by less then a mili-second.

"General, we both agree with what Jack and Sam has just said, however…" As he stopped, Mac took a deep breath and looked up at the three confused faces.

"We…" Just then Daniel coughed, and she looked away before glaring at him.

"I, think that the base is still there."

"How is that possible? You were just there!" Jack stated.

"I know that Jack, but what if they are using a device that puts them out of phase to us, so they stay safe? Like an invisibility cloche or something? I'm sorry, but I never said it before, because I never got a chance between getting told what the planet was called and getting yelled at to move out back to the gate…"

"But?" Sam questioned hesitatingly.

"I felt a presence of either a Goa'uld or an Ancient,"

WHAT?!" Jack roared, which got Mac to cringe slightly.

"Well if you weren't in such a hurry to get us back here, I could have said something! I was trying to tell Sam when you started yelling at all of us!"

"I concur O'Neill; Ellen was trying to tell Captain Carter something, before you called for us to follow you."

"Ok," Hammond said gently. "Ellen what do you mean that you 'felt a presence of a Goa'uld or an ancient'?"

"Well I can't be too sure general, I mean every time Teal'c comes up behind me or is in a certain perimeter, and I know he's there without seeing him. Just like I know where Sarah is without seeing her, I can just feel them."

"And you had this feeling when you were near that base?"

"Yes general! But as we got back to the 'gate I could feel it more strongly, it was like what ever it was, was trying to either stop us, follow us, or warn us of something."

"What if you went back to the planet?"

"No sir, I don't believe that we should ever go back there! If we were trying to be warned, then it'll be too late by now. If you want you can try to dial the gate, but by now it'll either be heavily guarded or the gate will be buried to stop anyone from venturing there and endangering themselves."

"Very well. We'll trying dialling to see what it shows, and then we'll lock it out of the system." Hammond stated standing. "Dismissed!" With that they all went to the control room, to try dialling P4X 55A. Only for the seventh chevron not to lock. Turning he looked at Ellen, before nodding. "Lock the address out of the computers!" Hammond said before moving back upstairs and to his office.

"So now what?"

"Well now we go and do something," Jack muttered, before walking off. Sighing Mac looked at Sam, before the four of them split to go their separate ways. Teal'c to his quarters to Kel'no'rem, Daniel to his lab, and Sam and Mac to Sam's lab.

"Sam does Jack hate most people, when they try to say something, but don't a chance or does he just give me special treatment?" Laughing gently, Sam looked at her and smiled.

"Ellie, sweetie Jac… Ah the Colonel, is just the Colonel, he's always like that."

"Did you just say Jack?" She smirked.

"No!" Sam huffed.

"Hey he's not here, I'm sure he knows I would have come here with you, like always and he's pretty pissed off with me at the moment, so what does it matter, he's not going to hear you!" She smiled. Sighing Sam rolled her eyes.

"Ok fine, I did say Jack, happy?"

"Yup," she grinned.

"It's just hard when you're always calling him Jack. Before it was just Daniel, and it was easier, because the General always calls him Colonel in company of others, and it was easy, and now with Teal'c he calls him O'Neill so that doesn't faze me, but you're ALWAYS saying Jack this, Jack that, Jack's an asshole, Jack's…"

"Hey I never said he was an asshole!"

"Did so!"

"Not!"

"Did!"

"Not!"

"Gah! Ellen! We're turning into Daniel and the Colonel!" Laughing she smiled.

"Is that such a bad thing?"

"Well when you think about their relationship it could quite possibly be a problem!"

"Yeah I suppose, poor Daniel, I mean Jack's always going off about something or other. I mean what IS his problem with scientists anyway? I mean he doesn't really have a problem with you and that's foreseeable but poor Daniel!"

"Hey what's that supposed to mean?"

"What? The fact you're in the military, the fact that you're female, the fact he's got the hots for you? Or the fact Daniel cops the wrath for every scientist, who's done wrong by Jack?"

"Ellen!" She huffed. Smiling she shrugged.

"What? I mean Sam you can't think that your not getting any of that 'I hate you because you're a scientist' attitude! You don't but Daniel does, and no offence but didn't you say that Daniel has saved Jack's life a few more times then you? He already had one up on you before you met Jack, and he loves you instantly, even though you're a 'scientist'!"

"Ellen you think WAY too much!" She smiled.

"What can I say it's in my genes," she smiled.

As he stopped outside her lab, he couldn't help but to over hear their conversation. He didn't hate Ellen, yeah ok he was a bit pissed off with her not saying a lot of things, but he didn't hate her! He was a bit of an asshole however, and he knew that he had been especially to her. But he couldn't believe that it was *that* obvious that he loved Sam. He knew that if Ellen had picked up on it, then others around the base who have known both him and Sam would also have picked up on it. Not to mention the fact that he couldn't help the smile that fell upon his lips every time Sam said his name.

He wanted to just stand there and listen to them talking about him for ever, just to hear Sam call him by his name. With no 'Sir's' or 'Colonel's' in her sentences. He loved how his name just rolled off her tongue, how she dragged out the syllables of his name, how she would extend the length of his name by holding onto the 'k' longer then most people would. But sadly he noticed that Ellen said his name the same way. 'Could it be one of those sibling or hereditary things?' He wondered. They rarely talked the same; they rarely pronounced things the same.

One was brought up in Australia and the other in America, it was common knowledge that they were sisters, but were raised on the opposite sides of the globe. It was also common knowledge that they not only argued about how certain words were pronounced, but they looked near identical. Apart from the colour of their hair, and some of their mannerisms, the pair both had inherited Jacob's eyes, ears, and mouth. The shape of their eyes, their noses and their chins were all inherited from their mothers'. It wasn't hard to see they were sisters.

However there were also instant differences. The most common were their physical. Ellen had dark hair and olive skin, while Sam had blonde hair and fair skin. Ellen also could read write, and understand not only ancient but Goa'uld as well. In fact that was most probably their only two. There was no way Sam could make sense of some of the writings that were found on different planets, but then again there was no way that Ellen could make sense of some of the scientific techno-babble that Sam would drone on about. In fact it was that, that he liked Ellen slightly better because they'd both be with her and ask 'so what does that mean? IN ENGLISH!'

Which of course would get Sam ticked off. One of their strengths was that neither could stay angry at the other for longer then ten minutes. Of course unless it was a life threatening situation that they almost got killed in because of a sibling dispute. Jack remembered one in particular. One where Ellen was actually correct, but Sam wouldn't have a bar of it. He remembered going back to the arguing duo, and grabbing Sam around the waist and throwing her over his shoulders just so they could get to the gate, and make it home with Teal'c and Daniel. The look he received when he came through with an uninjured but extremely angered Captain over his shoulders was one he'd never forget.

The way General Hammond frowned when the iris closed behind them. The way he shifted her against his shoulders to try and get her gently to the ground. The way she slid down his side holding him tightly, making sure she didn't fall. All while still yelling at Ellen who was just centimetres behind them, still going off at Sam. He smiled at the after thought, of them not talking for days and it was up to Sarah to mediate between them, and how Sam would lock herself in her lab all day, and Ellen would be off bugging Daniel, or helping him with translating something while she was still steaming and pouring everything out to him.

As the last statement from Sam swam through his mind he couldn't help but chuckle. But stopped suddenly, as the room went quiet. 'Damnit! Bustard big time!' He thought. Taking a deep breath he moved around the corner and over the threshold into the lab. Looking at the two women who looked so angry at him, and yet confused and blushing as they saw him standing there in front of them.

"Carters'!" He grinned.

"Sir,"

Jack,"

"Just thought I'd come by and apologise for blowing up earlier Ellen. I should have listened to you, when you were trying to talk to Carter."

"Mm…" She grunted turning away from him, and looking at one of the gizmos on the desk.

"Ah sir, um…"

"Don't worry Carter only just got here," he lied. He'd tell her the truth one day, he thought. "Just couldn't help but laugh at the irony in your statement, that's all."

"What? That Ellen thinks too much?"

"She's a Carter, Carter! It's in your genes to think! Ask dad! Even he thinks you think too much, and there's two of him… Well not really, but sort of, but…" Shaking his head he walked around the desk. "You know what I mean!" He stated.

"Yes sir," she smirked.

"Jack, can you go so we can continue or conversation?"

"Why? You were talking about me?"

"Yes actually, I was just telling Sam what an asshole you are, and how you can be nothing but a prick!"

"Ellen!" Sam gasped.

"Well that's true, I suppose. But I usually only act like that if I'm threatened in one way or another." He stated simply.

"So you're telling me, that as Sam's sister I'm threatening to you screwing her?"

"ELLEN!" Sam yelled, but was once again ignored by both parties.

"Well if you put it like that, I suppose after what three or four years of working my ass off to gain dads trust and for him to come to respect me in some form, yeah I guess I'm thinking I have to go through all that again." Rolling her eyes, Mac huffed.

"For Christ sakes people! Just take a few days off go on a holiday somewhere and get it all out of your systems! Jacob trusts most people if they show they'll never hurt his children, and if they prove trust worthy! I'm pretty sure you've done all that! Just go out and screw!" She exclaimed before stalking out of the lab and slamming the heavy security door closed. Well slamming it as much as possible.

"Well that was interesting," Jack mumbled.

"Sorry sir, she's just a bit angry about what happened this morning."

"It's alright Carter, I understand. I apologised, and that's all that can be done. If she's anything like you we'll be best buddies by tomorrow morning." He grinned.

"Yes sir. However I am sorry about what she said about our relationship. She didn't mean anything by it sir." Watching her, Jack felt him self fall flat on his face. Hiding his misery he nodded.

"Not a problem Carter, she's probably been thinking it for a while. So it doesn't matter."

"Yes sir,"

"I ah better get back to it then," he smiled gently, before moving to the door, and finding it locked. "Ah, Carter…"

"Sir?"

"Does Ellen have one of these yet?" He asked holding up his security card.

"Um, I think so sir. I think General Hammond got her one a few days ago. After all she has been here for a few months, sir. Why what's wrong?"

"Well it looks like she's locked us in here. My cards not opening the door. Wanna try yours?" Moving over to him, she frowned, taking her card and swiping it, only to find it wouldn't unlock the door either. As Jack looked at her, he saw the fire starting to burn in her, and moved to the phone.

"This is Captain Carter; I need an electrical team to my lab ASAP! The security door has been closed and has locked Colonel O'Neill and I in here." Hearing laughter on the other end, her eyes widened.

"Ellen! Get your butt back down here and unlock the door!"

"Sorry Sammie no can do. Oh the General say's hi and to get comfortable. Oh and Sammie there are condoms in you're second draw!" Laughing she hung up the phone.

"Not coming?"

"No sir!" She seethed hanging up. "It appears the General is in on this sir, Ellen said that he said hi and to get comfortable."

"What?! You can't be serious!"

"To some extent I wish I was sir, I mean I value your friendship, and company off-world especially but this is madness!"

"What else did she say?" He asked looking more then slightly deflated. As he walked around the room, and creating a sign before holding it up to the camera, then unplugging it.

"That, there's…" Stopping she shook her head. "Um, nothing else sir."

"You sure?" He asked turning to her, as she turned and saw him put the piece of paper on her desk. Frowning she moved over to it.

"What's this?" She frowned picking it up as he shrugged. "'turning this off now, leave us to talk, thanks for nothing, I do hate you now Ellen'" she read aloud then looked at him, before the camera as he shrugged. "Sir!"

"Carter, listen to me, they did this for a reason what ever it may be I don't know but think about it, if the camera's not on, we can just sit here and talk, or you can work and I'll play around with something, ill try not to break it promise. But the thing is, they won't know what's going on. They can think what ever they like. But we'll now the truth. If this is what they wanted then by tomorrow morning we'll be out of here." Sighing she nodded.

"True, but it'll go around the sgc that…"

"Is that such a bad thing? Carter we'll know nothing happened. Let the mill turn, let them have their fun."

"I suppose," she mumbled.

"Ah!" Mac groaned gripping her stomach.

"Ellen?" Hammond questioned, looking at her, as she shook her head only to squeeze her eyes shut tightly. Moving out of the briefing room, he saw an SF. "Get me doctor Faiser now!"

"Yes sir!" He stated saluting before leaving quickly. Moving back into the room he saw her hunched over the table, in utter pain.

"Ellen, can you do me one favour and sit?"

"Sam," she whispered, voice shaking, before Janet came into the room. Seeing her hunched she ran across the room, to Ellen.

"Ellen what is it?"

"Pain," she whispered.

"Ok I need you to sit for me, ok. Can you do that?" Sniffling she nodded. And sat as Hammond left the room quickly.

"You two with me!" He stated looking at the two SF's, standing near the door.

"So now what?" Sam sighed, looking at him, as they were sitting on opposite sides of her desk, looking at each other.

"Don't know, tell jokes?"

"Sir…" She warned, only to be interrupted by the sound of the door unlocking and opening.

"See told ya Carter!" He grinned jumping off the stool to his Hammond. "General," he smiled.

"Colonel," he muttered before looking at Sam. "Sam, something's wrong with Ellen, she's in the briefing room with Fraiser. I think it could be the baby." As soon as that was said Sam ran out, almost knocking him over, as she ran straight to the briefing room. Seeing Ellen and Janet in the far corner, she moved over.

"Janet?"

"Sam!" Ellen cried, pain filtering through her cracking voice.

"Hey I'm here, it's alright," she whispered. Taking Ellen's hand tightly.

"What's wrong?"

"I don't know but we have to get her to the infirmary, she's further along then I thought, I haven't examined her because we needed an obstetrician. I've been watching her and she seemed fine, but I think she's at least a month further along then we thought."

"What so she's seven and a half months? She almost eight months? Janet that's impossible she's too small to be eight months!"

"I'm aware of that Sam, but it's the only thing that's keeping my mind with some ease. We have to get her to the infirmary. Before you got here I told her we might have to either induce labour or do an emergency C-section."

"Oh my god, Ellie," she whispered, now understanding slightly why her big sister was such a mess.


	9. Chapter 8

As they were all waiting in the hall, they could hear Ellen screaming, and crying. Her crying, Sam put down to fear, and the screaming, well they could all hear that she was yelling for Sam to be there with her, only for Janet to be saying no. As Jack looked at Sam, he watched her pacing. She wasn't going to stop and if she didn't stop soon he knew that there would be a new whole in the floor. So he got up and grabbed her arm.

As he moved back towards his seat she looked at him, fighting to get her arm back, as he pulled her to the seat with him. Without taking her eyes off him, she watched as he sat back down and pulled her to sit on his lap. As the other three men watched they were all satisfied that she had stopped pacing, and Daniel especially was grinning broadly at the fact that Sam was now sitting on Jack's lap, with his arms around her waist tightly, to keep her there.

"Now sit still!" He stated, as she was shifting against him, trying to get up.

"Colonel!" She huffed.

"Captain, I suggest you comply with the Colonel's orders, it doesn't look like you'll be getting too far if you don't, after all we're all glad your not pacing anymore!" Hammond stated looking her square in the eye.

"General, with all due respect, my sister is in there screaming for me! I have to do something! I can't just sit here and do nothing! She could be loosing her unborn child!" Sam yelled the end of her argument.

"Captain I suggest that you calm down or the General might have you locked up for insubordination!" Jack chimed in gently, whispering it in her ear, as they watched her swallow hard, and look at Hammond.

"Sorry sir," she whispered, looking away instantly.

"No problems Captain, we all understand what you're going through at the moment," he replied gently, at which she nodded and remained still and quiet against Jack. They were waiting for longer then anyone wanted to or expected to. But soon Dr Fraiser came out into the hall and looked at the four of them. She couldn't help but smile at the fact that Sam was still sitting on Jack's lap.

"Doctor?" Hammond stated getting everyone's attention and pulling Janet from her day dream.

"Sorry sir, um… We had to do an emergency caesarean, Ellen is now under a lot of pain medication and we also sedated her slightly. She is now asleep, hopefully in no pain…"

"Janet…" The whispered and scared voice ran cold and deep through her as she looked at Sam. Forcing a smile she just couldn't do it to her. She couldn't tell her best friend that her sister just lost her child; she didn't have the heart to break Sam, like Ellen had been.

"I'm sorry," was all that Janet said before bowing her head and retreating into the infirmary, leaving the four shocked people, alone with their thoughts. As it hit Sam that Ellen wasn't just screaming and crying in pain, and calling for her, it was because she knew she'd lost her child. The child that was conceived with the man she loved, who was brutally taken away from her. That she wanted Sam there to help her through the torture that she was going through. Then it really hit home.

'She's under a lot of pain medication and we also sedated her slightly.' She was in that much pain that they had to knock her out to retrieve the deceased child from within her. They had to knock her unconscious to be able to help her. As all her thoughts came running through her, Sam quickly ripped herself away from Jack. Getting up she ran down the hall. She made a quick and decisive get away. As she ran into her quarters, Sam slammed the door behind her and locked it before she slid down the closed door and cried.

As the three men looked after her, not one of them made a move to follow her. Knowing she needed time to her self, after the news had finally sunk in. Carter was going to be a wreck and emotional. No one wanted to deal with an emotional time bomb, especially not Carter, and especially not now.

"Now what?" Jack mumbled, looking at his hands, and remembering how she felt in his grip, how she didn't protest too much, how she just sat there. How she had eventually let her head fall and rest on his shoulder, how she gripped his hands when they saw Janet walk into the hallway, how she stayed there for a while, after the news had sunk in, just to be in his arms.

"We can't really do anything," Daniel muttered, looking at his own hands and wishing that he had picked up on something sooner, something that he could have mentioned to Janet about, something that could have possibly saved the child.

"I'll have your team on stand down for two weeks Colonel, if I see fit, I might extend that time, understood?" Hammond chimed in watching the two men before him, before his eyes moved and stayed on Jack for a response. He remembered the way Mac had talked to him, about pay back, and how she wanted both Sam and Jack to suffer with their stupidity.

"Yes sir!" Jack stated, seconds before he stood before the General.

"Dismissed Colonel,"

"Sir," he whispered before bowing his head yet again and walking off. Knowing that there was only one place that right now he wanted to be above all else, and that was with Carter, having her in his arms, holding her in his arms, protecting her as much as he could from the pain she was in, telling her everything would be ok eventually.

"General,"

"Dr Jackson?"

"I was wondering if…" Sighing he looked away, before shaking his head. "It's alright, it doesn't really matter,"

"Jackson, if your going to try to come up with 'what if's' and blame your self, I'm telling you right here and right now, don't you dare do that!"

"Yes sir!" He stated, before moving away deep in his own thoughts. Still coming up with his own 'what if's' and if he'd seen anything that could have helped. He wracked his brain; he pulled at memories of them in his lab going through pages and pages of translations. Nothing! There was nothing! As he came to this conclusion, Daniel realised he was now in his lab. Looking around he grabbed the latest pieces of text that Mac had helped him translate and threw them to the floor, along with several other items. "NOTHING! THERE'S BLOODY NOTHING!" He yelled, while trashing his office.

Moving to the opened door Jack found himself staring at what he wanted to do. Moving in quickly, he grabbed Daniel's arm. Turning him to him, and looking him straight in the eye. He saw the raw pain that was running though him, and by the look Daniel was giving him, Jack knew that he could see the same raw pain that was coursing through him.

"Daniel, don't… We have to be strong for both Carter's now! We can't fall apart when they need us the most. When Teal'c comes out of his Kel'no'reming we'll tell him what's happened and we'll all be there for them!" With that said both men and Jack's grip on Daniel's arm all slumped. As Jack's grip loosened and fell from Daniel's arm, both men slid down the side of Daniel's desk holding their knees tightly to their chest's and started to think. They were both lost in their thoughts when the phone in the lab started ringing.

As they both looked up, they soon turned to each other, awaiting the other to get up to answer it. 'It's your lab' Jack thought, and sure enough Daniel sighed and stood, moving towards the phone. While doing so Jack could have sworn that Daniel was moving in slow motion, the time it took him to get to the phone was like watching a snail moving five centimetres!

"Doctor Jackson," he muttered, before hearing the reply on the other end. Sighing he nodded. "No, it's ok, send them down. We'll meet them at the elevator, thanks." He muttered, before hanging up and turning to look Jack in the eye. "Ellen's friends from her unit are here, the two blonde's and the guy, who were at the hospital." Nodding Jack looked at the floor. "Jack how are we supposed to tell them! Ellen's unconscious at the moment, and Sam's not capable! I know I'm a mess and I can see you look a fucked as I feel right now! They're going to know something is wrong the minute they step out of that elevator!" Sighing Jack nodded.

"Yeah I know, but we're going to have to deal with that later. Right now we have to put on brave face's say that Ellen and Carter aren't here, and hope to god that something happens which makes them leave before anything gets out, or gets too hysterical!"

"Yeah, ok," Daniel sighed moving to the door and waiting for Jack to get up and follow him to the elevator to greet their guests.

"I so can't believe that they let us in!" Danni exclaimed grinning, as she looked at the others, who were also smiling slightly.

"Yeah I thought they would have at lest tried to protest!" Oscar stated with a slight chuckle.

"Mm," Ange mumbled.

"What is it?" Oscar questioned frowning, watching her.

"Nothing, I just feel that something's wrong," she sighed. No sooner had she said her thoughts did the doors, open. As the trio stepped from the elevator, they were greeted by Daniel and Jack's smiling faces. Forced, but smiling nether the less.

"Howdy folks! What brings you three to our humble abode?" Jack smiled at them.

"We were wondering how Mac's doing. And how Sarah is." Danni smiled back.

"Oh well one of them is easier then the other," Daniel chimed in.

"Why?" Ange frowned.

"Well Mac's out and about here or there, but Sarah's around, somewhere!" Daniel smirked. "Sorry not really up to speed with what's been going on, just come back from a week of down time," he lied, before looking at Jack, with a 'it's all I could think of' look, to which Jack smiled and nodded.

"Yeah just got in a few hours ago our selves, place's been busy. We're still waiting to be filled in on…"

"Jack…" A chocked and strained voice called, from behind him. Spinning around he saw Sam standing there. Obviously she'd heard the entire conversation and wanted to talk to him.

"Ah, excuse me," he stated looking back at the three foreigners. Walking over to her, he took her elbow gently, and moved her around the corner. "Carter you alright?" He whispered, watching her. Shaking her head Sam inhaled deeply.

"Ellie's still unconscious. I just went to the infirmary, and talked to Janet. She told me what happened." Stopping Jack couldn't help but prod.

"And?" He whispered.

"She didn't loose the baby…"

"WHAT?"

"Shhh!" She huffed.

"Sorry, what?"

"I mean she did, but it wasn't anything she did, Janet said that the baby was healthy and should have been fine! The only thing that could have done something like this would have had to have been…"

"Someone from the trust…"

"I think so, and so does Janet. We think that, as Sarah and Ellie can do what they can do, well they might become a threat to them, if she has anymore children."

"Well what about you?"

"What?"

"Well what if you had kids? You are sisters! No one would no until you had kids right? So what if you had kids and, or even if we got someone to carry the foetus to term for her, or something…? Surely there's something we can do for her?"

"I don't know, I never thought of anything like that, I'm just really worried about her, and Janet said that when she gave Ellie the mild sedative, she passed out! Colonel there's something more going on here! And with her friends just happening to turn up, just after she lost the baby?" Sam whispered watching him, hoping he was getting to the same conclusion.

"Mm," he mumbled, watching her. Smiling gently she sighed.

"Sir, what if they have something to do with it? What if they are here to make sure that the baby's dead? That what ever Ellie was given, inhaled, digested, whatever actually worked? What if they are here to report back, so that other people, people who have the gene, people like you, people like the others here who have the gene, and can reproduce healthy children, who may or may not eventually possess the gene, that may or may not possess the same abilities as Sarah and Ellie. That if this gets back that it's worked, and then Sarah's life might be in danger?"

"Ok, so we keep them away from Sarz and Ellen?" He suggested with a slight shrug.

"Well I think Daniel would be better at keeping Sarz occupied, I mean with all those translations and…"

"Cleaning,"

"Pardon?" She frowned, with a slight laugh.

"Daniel trashed his office, I saw him. He thinks there's something he missed, in her behaviour that could have stopped her loosing the child."

"Sir, there's nothing that could have helped her. I know that now, and I never have blamed any of you, especially not Daniel!"

"Good to know, how about you go tell him, to find Sarz then, and I'll take these three to the mess for some cake. Meet you there in ten?"

"Sure," she whispered. "Just make sure Sarah's not in there, before you take them in."

"Do my best…" As he went to move after pushing off the wall he leant into her slightly, and whispered. "Boss." Then moved back around the corner leaving her, startled slightly, but with a small smile forming. "Alright people, how about I take you lot to the mess to get something to eat? I hear that there's cake and pie today!" Jack grinned at them, as they nodded.

"Yeah sure, bit hungry after all that flying!" Danni grinned at him. Nodding he turned to Daniel and whispered something to him.

"You are to find Sarz and keep her away from them, Carter and I think something's off. Get her to help tidy your lab?" Jack smirked before looking at him, and he nodded, before looking at the frowning trio.

"Sorry you're stuck with Jack for a while. I have a few things I have to finish up. Reports!" He sighed and groaned and they nodded.

"Know the feeling!" Oscar laughed.

"Hope to see ya around sometime!" Daniel called over his shoulder as he moved down the corridor quickly.

"So let's go," Jack smiled. "Pie, and cake here we come!" He smiled and took them off to the comissionary.

Daniel was jogging through the corridors, looking for Sarah, asking every personnel that he came by, if they had seen the child. He finally found her curled up in Jack's office, on his chair, sleeping soundly. Smiling at her, Daniel bent down and scooped the child up into his arms, holding her tightly, and securely. Stirring slightly at the movement, she sighed.

"Shh, it's just me," he whispered to her, which got her shifting against his chest getting comfortable again, and drifting back to sleep.

"Uncle Danny," she murmured.

"Yeah its uncle Danny," he whispered kissing her forehead as he walked out of Jack's office.

"Waiting for Uncle Jack, talk Uncle Jack…" She murmured before drifting fully into a deep sleep.

"So kids, what brings you all this way?" Jack smiled at the trio in front of him, as they were seated at the informally dedicated 'SG-1' table.

"Well actually we came to see Mac, and Sarah." Danni said looking at him, over her fork full of pie. Smiling gently he nodded.

"Miss 'em huh?"

"Yeah something like that," Ange mumbled, poking her fork at her pie. Frowning Jack watched the younger woman, she had her head resting against her right fist, as her elbow was propped up on the edge of the table, and she was starring aimlessly at the pie that she was so carefully dissecting, without acknowledging it.

"Well I can't really tell you were either of them are, sorry kids! But I can give you a small tour of the place before the airmen behind you over there will escort you back topside,"

"Topside?" Oscar frowned.

"Yeah that's what we call the surface, I mean after all it is pretty far down, down here, don't you think?"

"Yeah I suppose your right about that one!" he chuckled lightly. As they finished their pie, Sam walked in, cleaned up, changed and looking better then ever. Moving over to the table with her blue jelly, she smiled.

"This seat taken?"

"Nope it's all yours Carter," Jack grinned at her. Rolling her eyes she smiled.

"Thank you sir,"

"Don't mention it!"

"O'Neill!"

"Dagnamit!" Sighing he looked up to see Teal'c standing at the end of the table, tray of food in hand. "Ah T!" He stated, looking around before getting up. "Here sit with Carter; I better go check on Space monkey anyway. Keep our guest's company while I'm gone!" He grinned, patting the tall jaffa on the back, as he past him. The only acknowledgement that Teal'c showed was the slight bow of his head, before he moved to sit next to Sam.

"Major Carter, what did O'Neill mean by checking on Daniel Jackson?"

"Ah he kind of trashed his office earlier today Teal'c, he's got a lot of cleaning up to do, according to the Colonel," she smiled gently.

"Ah, was that after what…"

"Yes," she jumped in quickly, forcing a small smile at him, to which he once again bowed his head slightly, and turned back to his tray, of food.

As Jack walked down the corridors of the SGC, he couldn't help but feel for Sam and everything that Mac has gone through in the last few hours. Sighing he turned the last corner, that headed towards Daniel's lab. As he got to the closed door, he used his card to open it. Looking up Daniel moved quickly to stand in front of a still sleeping Sarah.

"Just me space monkey," Jack said moving in quickly and swiping his card again to close and lock the door.

"Oh, hey Jack! How are the guests?"

"Their, with Carter and Teal'c in the mess still. Did you find Sarah? Is she in here?" he questioned looking around at the mounds of paper scattered throughout the lab, and he couldn't help but smirk.

"Yeah she's here, I found her sound asleep in your office, I woke her by accident when I picked her up, off your chair, she said she was waiting for you, and that she needed to talk to you, but then she fell asleep again, and has been out of it since I brought her back here about twenty minutes ago." Sighing he nodded. Moving around the desk Jack crouched down, and started picking up some of the pieces of paper.

"You know, if anyone comes looking for either of us, they'll find her right?"

"Yes,"

"Oh ok. Just making sure."

"Jack?"

"Daniel, how can you know what is what in here?"

"Jack!"

"What I asked a question," Jack replied quickly and innocently as he stood from his position on the floor holding out two hand fulls of paper, sticking out at all different angles form his hands. Taking them Daniel smiled slightly, and rested them on his desk.

"I just have this feeling that, Sarah knows something, that maybe we're jumping the gun about Ellen's friends. I mean she was there waiting for you, she seemed upset but that was clouded with sleep, so I can't be sure, but what if she knows what happened? What if she could have even prevented it? Or what if Sarah's the reason? Jack thinks about why would she be there in your office waiting to talk to you?"

"Daniel she's like almost five years old! She doesn't know what happened, and she doesn't know anything about who is here and why, ok? So lets just get this mess cleaned up alright?" sighing he nodded. Before looking at Sarah and smiling gently. As the hours ticked over, both Daniel and Jack had managed to clean up the entire lab, and in the end change the way that he had things stored, stacked, and filed away. Making it easier for anyone to walk in and find something that they required, after he had acknowledged them and told them to get it themselves. In this time Sarah had stirred but remained where she was.

"Looks, good thanks Jack!"

"Don't mention it Danny boy." He smiled gently, before looking at Sarah who shifted. Smiling he walked over and scooped her up into his arms. "Hey," he whispered in her ear. Smiling gently, she curled up against him tightly, and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, and hooked her ankles together around his waist.

"Uncle Jack, I have to tell you something about mummy." She whispered before pulling back and staring straight into his eyes.

"Ok, what is it angel?"

"Mummy's going to die." She stated with more ease then Jack thought possible for a toddler.

"Angel mummy's not going to die, mummy's going to be fine!" he stated looking at her, with a slight frown.

"No Uncle Jack you don't understand! When mummy had me she was supposed to do something, but she never did it, because she didn't know that she was supposed to do it, and she thought that if she told daddy then he would make her go and get looked at by the psychologist! And now she's dying!"

"Angel…"

"Uncle Jack is mummy sick? Is mummy's baby ok? Is the baby dying? Is the baby still alive inside mummy? Is mummy sleeping?" she was rattling off questions a million miles an hour and Jack knew that he had to stop the questions by answering them, but he didn't quite know how to, without telling her that Mac was indeed sick. "Is mummy in the infirmary? Are mummy's friends here? Are you trying to hide me…?"

"Sarah, angel, sweetie, listen to me please. Mummy is not going to die!"

"Uncle Jack, please put me down." Frowning Jack did as he was told. Letting Sarah stand on the stool that he had picked her up from. Looking at him, she slowly raised one hand and rested it against the left side of his face, before taking her right hand and bringing his right hand to sit on her left. Then she took his left hand in her right and put his left hand on the side of her face and held it there with her right. As she stared straight at him, he noticed that her eyes changed colour, and that her body stiffened.

As she lent closer to him slightly, Sarah let her mind open up to him, and let him search it, unknowingly. Once she found the information stored away in her memory that she wanted and needed him to see and understand she let him read through it and take his time in trying to comprehend and understand what he was almost being told. Once she felt that he had a grip on the situation, she closed her mind off to him, and moved both hands away from him, and his grip.

"Oh my god!" He gasped. Staring at Sarah, she could see the pain and hurt mixed with his disbelief and fear. Not only at, that Sarah knew but with how she knew it, and that she never said anything knowing that it was going to happen, within the period of time that it did.

"What is it? Jack?" Daniel questioned moving over to the duo. "Jack?"

"She's going to die Daniel, there's nothing we can do for her. There's nothing that anyone can do for her. Sarah… Sarah, she knew this whole time, and never said anything because she knew that if we knew then we'd do anything and everything to help Ellen, but nothing can or could be done to help her." He stated in shock, which in turn, caused him to just resight what he had 'read', saw and was trying himself to understand and believe the unbelievable.

"WHAT? Jack!" shaking his head slightly, Jack turned to look at Daniel, with glazed eyes, which shocked the young linguist and archaeologist.

"Daniel, we have to tell Doc Fraiser, and Carter, and Hammond and everyone!"

"Jack, she's not going to die she's…"

"Daniel, you don't understand, Sarah and Ellen, they, well…" stopping he looked back at Sarah who was looking more tired then what she did only minutes before hand. Picking her up, she cuddled into him tightly, as he held her tightly to him. "They have to know what's going to happen Daniel," he whispered before he turned, and moved from the room. Daniel hot on his heals seconds later.


	10. Chapter 9

"So how long have you guys known Ellen for?" Sam questioned as they still sat in the mess hall, waiting for Teal'c to finish his lunch.

"Oh um, Ange and Stoney have known her for about five or six years or something, and I've only known her for a few months before she came here and before Pete died," Danni said gently, looking at her, to which Sam nodded, looking at the trio.

"Where is Mac?" Ange spoked up gently, looking up to see concern, and distrust in Sam's eyes.

"Ah she's busy at the moment, we usually all meet here for lunch, but if someone's busy they send their apologies, and the rest of us eat then take them something afterwards."

"Why don't you trust us?" Ange frowned.

"What makes you say that?"

"The look you're giving me for starters and the fact that you're withholding something."

"How do you know if I…"

"Carter!" Turning, they all saw Jack moving towards the table, Sarah clinging to him tightly, and Daniel close behind. Jumping up Ange gasped.

"Sarah!" Moving around the table to him, she let her hand rest on Sarah's back gently, as the four year old looked at her. "Hey!" She smiled, to which Sarah only nodded. Swallowing she watched the little girl before looking at Jack. "She showed you didn't she?" Ange whispered, looking at him.

"What?" He frowned, not having heard her completely, but then again not wanting to answer the part of the question that he did hear.

"She showed you what's going to happen to Mac. That Mac's going to die, that the baby isn't going to make it, that…" She stopped as she felt the tears welling in her eyes. "It's too late, we're too late. She's lost the baby hasn't she? And you thought that we had something to do with it? You weren't going to let us see either of them, were you?"

"Now's not the time for accusations, Ange," Stoney put in gently.

"Oscar!" She exclaimed, turning to look him square in the eye. "What would you do, if the situation was reversed? I know I'd think like that, that her friends were coming to see her after she'd just lost her baby, that she's in a critical condition, that she's dying, and there's nothing that can be done about it! You know you would too! Mac chose to be here, because Samantha is her sister, because when she's here she can see her father, this is where Pete was killed, this…" Stopping she sniffled watching him. Sighing he nodded.

"Yeah ok, I agree with you, but Mac's a fighter, she came through it with Sarah, she fought, they both fought,"

"Stoney you don't get it!" Ange exclaimed as a tear trickled slowly down her cheek. "Mac is not going to make it this time, Sarah was her chance, Sarah is what's left, and Sarah has to stay here, because these guys can help her, they can get the best and most experienced people in the world here to do anything within twenty-four hours! They can keep her alive if anything happens! It's too late for Mac; she needed something done years ago!"

"Ange!" He huffed.

"Oscar she's NOT LIKE US!" she screamed, as she started sobbing and falling back into her seat. "She's… she's dying," she cried. As the others looked at each other Sam was in shock, as she looked at Jack.

"Colonel?"

"She's right Carter. Ellen's dying, Sarah showed me what's going to happen, that there isn't anything that can help her. But there is something that can stop the same fate happening to Sarz. We just have to do it, and hope to god that things will be different. She can help us in finding and working out what needs to be done, in order to help her."

"Colonel…"

"Carter we don't have time to argue. When Ellen passes away Sarah wont have that long, and I'm as sure as there is a hell that Ellen will hold on as long as she can, and in that time, we have to help Sarah! Let her friends stay with her, we'll look after Sarz and get her through this!" He stated looking her square in the eyes.

"Permission to speak freely sir?"

"Yep,"

"I'm not going, you can order me but I'm not going, I'm staying with Ellie, Colonel. I trust you, and I trust that you will help Sarah, and make sure she lives for as long as anyone else, but I'm not leaving my sisters bedside. If or when she does die, I'll be there; I'll be there when she wakes up like she was for me." Nodding he smiled gently.

"That's alright Carter, you go and tell doc that Danny boy, T and I are going to help Sarah and find what we need to find, if Hammond gives the go ahead!" Nodding she swallowed and turned leaving the group in the mess hall.

As Sam walked through the corridors she knew that Ange, Danni, and Oscar were following her to the infirmary, but right at that moment she couldn't careless about them, about the Colonel, or about anyone else but Ellen. Swallowing hard, she crossed the thresh hold and went into the infirmary. Upon seeing the doctor she smiled gently, walking over to her, with her tail of three.

"Janet,"

"Sam, I'm sorry about before, I just…" stopping she watched the blonde in front of her, who was smiling gently.

"It's ok. I just, I have to talk to you about Ellie, and Sarah and what Daniel and the Colonel are putting to General Hammond at this very moment."

"Ok, how about my office?"

"Yeah sure,"

"Ah what about, your tail?" she asked gently. Smiling gently, Sam turned to them.

"If you guys don't mind waiting outside for a bit, that would be great, I'll come and get you before I go and see Ellie,"

"Yeah sure, what ever," Ange mumbled turning and walking back the way the group came, with Danni in tow.

"Sorry, she and Mac are best mates have been for years, she's just upset." Oscar apologised.

"It's alright I understand, I'd probably be the same if the situation was reversed," Sam smiled gently, before turning back to Janet and moving to the office, while Oscar went outside with the girls.

"Alright Sam what's going on? Who are they? And why are they here? I'm pretty sure that they don't have all the necessary clearance!"

"Your right they don't. They are Ellen's friends. They worked with her for years, and were here when her partner was murdered. They helped Ellie through that and now they're here to try to help her again. Except that one of them is aware that…" Stopping Sam looked away.

"Sam?"

"Janet, there's nothing that can be done for Ellie. She's dying; she has been since Sarah was born apparently. She's only held on this long because if she died so would Sarah. The Colonel, and Daniel, is talking to general Hammond and Teal'c about something that will save Sarah's life. I didn't want to go, and I didn't want to know what they have to do, or where they have to go. I want to be here with Ellie. I want to be there when she comes around, and when she passes away, like she was here for me, all those months ago."

"Sam, we have lots of things brought back, through the gate, not only technology, but medicines you should know, you and SG-1 have brought back most of them!"

"Janet, you're not listening to me! There is NOTHING that we can do! Ellen is dying, and it's because she never underwent some…" Sighing he rubbed her eyes and forehead. "I don't know initiation sort of thing and because of that, she is dying."

"Sam…"

"Janet, they're trying to save Sarah's life at the moment, one of Ellen's friends yelled at one of the others just before, 'she's not like us'. Janet she knows, she's probably known all along! But has never said anything, because obviously after six or more years of friendship with nothing going wrong, you start to doubt those things! Now its happening, she knew it was going to happen, and she knows it happening, even before anything was said!"

"Sam, that's impossible! Ellen will pull through! It's not the seventh century!" Sighing she shrugged and looked away.

"She won't Janet! Ellie's going to die, but she'll hold on long enough for us to get Sarah to where ever it is that she needs to go, and save her from dying as well." With that Sam stood. Looking at her best friend. "I'm going to let them sit with her for a while. I'm going to go and talk to General Hammond and see if they can all get clearance. If so I'll have to tell them, that they won't be allowed back to Australia, or if they do, they'll have to be careful and we won't be able to protect them, anymore. Janet please just make her as comfortable as possible, and let them stay with her for however long they desire." With that Sam turned and left the room.

"Ange, I believe her, she wont let us sit here forever you know!"

"Yeah I know, but I just can't help but get the feeling that they don't want us here! Take a look around the place! There's that guy for starters!" She started motioning towards the closet SF. "They're everywhere! They're watching us!"

"That's because this base isn't meant to be here of something! Apparently it's meant to be somewhere else! They don't want us telling anyone or doing something to screw the place up, Ange. Come on please?" Sighing she shrugged.

"Yeah maybe."

"Um, sorry to interrupt," Sam said gently, as the three looked up at her. "I just had to explain a few things to the doctor. But I was going to show you to Ellie's bed, then go to see the general, about the three of you getting clearance."

"Clearance? Clearance for what?" Stoney frowned.

"Clearance to this place, to know what we do here, to know everything. However if the president and the joint chiefs agree to this, you'll have the opportunity to return back to Australia if you wish, however you are going to have to sign a disclosure statement. Well actually you'll have to sign it either way. But if you stay here with us, then you can get the same protection as what everyone here gets, and what Ellen and Sarah have also been given.

"If you return to Australia however we can not give you the same protection from, people like the NID, the federal police, or any other organisation that my be watching you once you leave this facility." She stated watching them.

"But if we decided to stay, and leave the base, to say… Go to a house that we might have bought now that we live here…"

"You will receive the same protection as you would if on this base."

"Oh ok, sweet."

"I'll show you to Ellen's bed now, please follow me," she said gently, as the trio stood and followed her back into the infirmary. Once at the closed door to the only single room, she stopped. "She is barely conscious, please, I know you wont but please, don't disturb her." She whispered gently, watching them as they nodded. Opening the door Sam moved aside to let them inside the room. Then she closed the door and moved off to talk with General Hammond.

"Alright campers, here we are!"

"P3Y-787"

"Look! There's TREES!" Jack commented sarcastically. Rolling his eyes Daniel sighed before setting off, down the trail that they'd just found minutes earlier.

"Jack!"

"What is it Daniel?"

"Ah, I don't know if you've forgotten, but we're here to save Sarah's life, not to admire the trees, and say how much like earth it is, and groan at every similarity!"

"Hey I know that!" Jack huffed, before following him, and moving past to lead the expedition. As they walked for what felt to all like hours, they finally came across a cave.

"That's it," Sarah whispered from her position on Jack's back. Arms wrapped tightly around his neck, and head resting on his shoulder as she watched where thy were walking.

"What that?" He questioned pointing to the cave. Nodding Sarah sighed and closed her eyes, as her grip faltered. Wrapping his arms quickly behind him he called over his other shoulder. "DANIEL! TEAL'C!"

"Jack what is it?" Daniel questioned slightly puffing.

"I think she's lost consciousness! We were talking and the next thing I know is that she's slipping down my back!"

"Oh ok, hang on." As Daniel moved back around Jack he grabbed Sarah gently, yet tightly. "Ok I got her, let go Jack."

"You sure you have her?"

"Yes, just let go!" As Jack let her go, Daniel took her. Holding her tightly, as Jack turned, and looked at her in Daniels arms. Turning back to the cave he moved forward, to see a small door. "Jack?"

"She said this was it, before she lost consciousness!" Turning he looked at them. "Bring her over here, and let's see what happens!" As Daniel and Teal'c moved across to the cave, Sarah slowly started to stir in Daniel's arms.

"Sarah?"

"Uncle Danny?"

"Yeah it's me, uncle Jack and Uncle Teal'c are here too!" Nodding she struggled to open her eyes.

"Down," she mumbled.

"Oh sweetie, you're not strong enough at the moment."

"Down," she repeated shifting in his grip.

"Put her down Daniel!"

"But Jack…"

"We need to see what happens! She came too when you got her close enough, now lets see what else happens!" Sighing Daniel nodded and complied with the order. As he put Sarah down, she crawled across the rough surface to the small door and pressed her hand against the cold rock. As the ground shifted the three men jumped, and watched as she stood, when a door opened and she went inside, seconds before it closed. Preventing the men to follow her.

"Good one Jack! Now what?" Daniel scolded.

"Hey don't go blaming me! This was more her idea then anyone's! And besides she's going to be fine!"

Knocking on the closed door, Sam couldn't help but feel more nervous, then ever before. She knew that this was going to be a routine request and she's done it a few times before. Once for her father then for Pete, and now for her sisters friends and team mates. It won't be as bad as fighting the Goa'uld, she knew that was for sure, but she also knew for sure that there was a lot at stake!

"Come!" The only word that, showed that he was inside the room. Opening the door Sam walked in and gently closed the door behind her before moving across the room, and sitting in one of the two chairs opposite his on her side of his desk.

"General, I was wondering if Ellen's friends could get clearance so we can tell them what's happening to her, and where Sarah is…" Stopping she watched him, swallowing she watching his reaction. Smiling he nodded.

"I've already thought of that Captain, and I can inform you that the president agrees and has authorised their clearance, to this project."

"Really?" She gasped, totally in shock. Smiling he nodded.

"You seem shocked by the news Captain?"

"Well yes sir, I…" Smiling he shook his head.

"Go and let them know the news, captain. Let them know what they are getting into, before you talk to them, and before you show them this facility!"

"I already have sir, I was talking to them before I took them to see Ellie sir, I told them that they will receive protection from us here and if they live off base, but will not if they return to Australia, and that they will all have to sign the non-disclosure statement. They have agreed so far general. With minimal questioning sir."

"Good to hear Captain!" He grinned. "Dismissed!"

"Yes sir!" She stated before standing and saluting. Turning on her heal Sam couldn't help the small smile that had escaped as she opened the door. Closing it silently behind her as she moved into the corridor outside the generals' office.

Sighing Ange watched as the monitors beeped, and showed that Mac was still alive. They had been sitting in the room, for almost an hour, and had not been disturbed other then for the nurse coming into the room to check Mac's ob's and make sure she was ok, before once again leaving. Not once did she ever talk to any of them. Taking her hand Ange felt tears spring to her eyes.

"Hey Mac, we're here, we're not going anywhere! You can't get rid of us that easily!" She smiled gently, feeling a small amount of pressure on her hand, and squeezed Mac's hand back in gesture.

"Hey Mac, Bernie sends his best as well! They had him in charge for a while there after, well… After what happened to Pete, and then when you left to come here, and now well, I have a feeling that the three of us are going to be recruited as well," Danni smiled at her, picking up her other hand and kissing the top of it, before letting it rest gently back on the bed, by her side.

"Anne…Gie…" Mac breathed, struggling to open her eyes.

"Hey shh Mac, we're all here, Stoney, Danni, and me. Just take it easy," she said gently.

"Ange," she whispered opening her eyes to catch a glimpse of her best friend. Smiling Ange sat forward and smiled.

"Hey there! You've given everyone here a pretty good scare!"

"Ange, Sarah?"

"Jack's looking after it, you need your rest don't worry, I've heard that he's taken her somewhere but no one here is telling us anything, Sam said she was going to talk to the general to see if we can get clearance, and then she was going to tell us everything, so I'm sure we'll find out what's going on soon. But you need to rest, so you can get better."

"No, I… Ange I'm dying, you know that, and so does Sam. They are trying to save Sarah, its ok. I know where they are and what they're doing. As soon as Sarah's safe I'll go…" She whispered gently, before she closed her eyes.

"Mac, no! You listen to me! The doctor here said she's going to look after you! So you better keep your end of the bargain and start fighting this!"

"I am fighting Ange, and I can't hold on much longer! It's draining me; I'll wake up before its time. Promise to take care of everyone for me,"

"Yeah I promise, sweetie, I promise. We'll stick together!" Nodding Mac swallowed before taking a strained breath, before closing her eyes again. As the door opened slightly, they turned to see Sam standing there closing the door.

"How is she?"

"She just woke up, and went back to sleep," Danni said gently. Nodding Sam looked at the three of them.

"The president has agreed to let you all know what we do here. In these folders is the non disclosure agreement, that you must sign before I tell you anything." She said passing them the blue folders. Looking at the logo Stoney frowned.

"What does, 'SGC' stand for?" He asked looking up at her.

"I can not tell you that with you having signed it first." Sighing he nodded. As they all flicked through the papers, Sam smiled as she saw Mac opening her eyes. Moving around the bed she took her hand gently. "Hey there sleepy head,"

"Sam…"

"Yeah, it's me. The Colonel, Daniel, and Teal'c have taken Sarah, I told them I wanted to stay here with you so I can't tell you what's going on, sorry."

"It's alright; I'll know when it's done." Nodding sadly, Sam sighed.

"Can't you just hold on until Sarah gets back?"

"She'll be unconscious for a few hours Sam; I won't be able to make it. If she's conscious when they get back, then I won't be…"

"Ellie, please just try! You can't let Sarah go through life without having said goodbye to one of you! She missed out on her father, and that was only a few months ago! It's her fifth birthday next week, you have to hold on as long as you can, please let her say goodbye…" She said gently, squeezing Mac's hand gently.

"I'll try," she whispered, with a sigh and a nod before closing her eyes for the final time. Well until Sarah got back that was. Looking around Sam stood up straighter, as she noticed the three watching her and smiled gently, at them as they passed the folders back to her.

"Ah, Oscar is it?" She questioned frowning.

"Yeah Oscar, but people call me Stoney. Either is fine," he smiled. Nodding she sighed gently, looking t Mac before at the folders then to the three confused faces.

"Oscar, 'SGC' stands for Stargate command, this is this command. What we do here is the biggest not only national but world wide secret. No one outside this mountain knows what we do here, except for the president and the joint chiefs. Not even our family's are aware of hat happens in here. People just think that it's NORAD. This is what you came through, when you hit sublevel 12."

"Ah, ok… So what does Stargate command mean?" He frowned.

"It means we're Earth's first source of defence. We have been protecting Earth for the last five years. Going on six years, and in that time, we have stopped several attacks on Earth that would have wiped the entire world as we know it from the face of the Earth. There would have been not one soul survivor left. We would not be the threat that other races out there fear.

"There are several teams. They range from one to nine. And there are a further eleven teams being talked about and possibly organised in the near future to boost our defences up to twenty teams. These teams are designated SG-1, SG-2, etc, we have several allies on other planets in the galaxy, and there are many that frequently come here, as well as us visiting them. The Colonel, Daniel, Teal'c and I are on SG-1, and Ellen was also."

"SG-1? Doesn't that mean you go everywhere first? I mean being number one and all?"

"That's correct Danni?" She questioned with a small frown. Smiling Danni nodded. "We get all missions before any other team, and when a team is in trouble we are always on standby to go through first as their rescue party."

"Ah ok wow!" Stoney stated looking at her. "So what now?"

"I will show you around the base when the time comes, and you will be given your own quarters, and everything in which you need, including the uniform. I am unaware of what team or teams that you will be assigned to, but, I am almost certain that you might get split up. There might be two of you assigned to one team and the other to a different team; you might all get assigned to the one team, but what I suspect will happen is that after your physical and psychological exams you will be put on three different teams."

"Oh ok," Ange mumbled, looking at the others, who seemed to shrug. Sighing she looked at Mac and nodded. "Ok. But we'll have to contact the commissioner of the Victorian police force and tell him, something!"

"Nothing for you to worry about Angie, everything has been taken care of! The president will call and take care of everything. If you wish to sell your houses we can do that. Or if you wish to rent them, that is also possible. However we will be taking you back, to gather some of your personal things…"

"If Mac dies, she's going to want to be buried next to Pete! I mean then it'll be a trip where we can pack all our things, put our houses on the market and stuff…" Ange mumbled, looking at Mac, who was now either sleeping soundly or unconscious and oblivious to everything that was going on around her.

"I am aware of that, Angie. We will work something out I promise you." Sam stated looking at her, before licking her dry lips and swallowing. "Now if you would like to follow me I'll show you some of the base that you will now call home," she said gently, forcing a small smile. Nodding the three got up and moved to the door. But not before Ange bent down whispering to Mac, and kissing her forehead.


	11. Chapter 10

Looking around the room, she felt weaker by the passing seconds. She was having trouble focusing on her surroundings. She knew that she was alone in the cave, that the others didn't get a chance to follow her in there. That once this was done the door will open and allow them entry to retrieve her and take her back to Earth. All she could think of was getting back to Earth and getting back to Mac. Sighing she stumbled towards one of the walls of the rock face, she was looking at.

Raising her right hand to it, she brushed her fingers across it gently. Only then did a small green hand print show. She watched it, without moving. She knew she should touch it but another part of her knew as soon as she did, she'd be killing her mother, and she didn't want that. But she didn't want to die either. Swallowing hard, to rid the rising lump from her throat, Sarah stepped forward and touched her right hand to the hand print, and pulled away as the ground started to shake. Looking around the room, she watched as a small light started to flicker on and off, and before she knew it she was standing next to a rather intricate looking chair.

She knew what this meant and she knew what she had to do. There was no threat to this planet and while she was there, there wouldn't be a threat. Once she'd done what she knew she had to go through everything would disintegrate and would not be around for another generation. She was the only child and therefore the only person that needed this. No one else needed this equipment and therefore it will soon disintegrate, back into the cave to recharge and be ready for the next generation. Taking a deep breath Sarah walked across the small room, heading for the chair.

Turning she sat in it gently, resting her hands on the gel pads that were embedded at the end of the arm rests. Closing her eyes as she started to slip into unconsciousness. Digging her nails into the gel pads Sarah opened her eyes to see everything displayed across the roof of the cave. Looking at what she wanted Sarah started to zoom in on different constellations and galaxy's alike. Once she had found what she needed, and wanted she rose from the chair and watched it disintegrate back into the rock.

Turning back to the wall she first touched, Sarah saw that several other hand prints were starting to form. She knew what each and everyone of them meant and what ones she now had to press. As she walked across the small cave, Sarah reached for two hand prints and touched them. Resting her hands against them, she felt her whole body convulse. However she remained where she was. It was like there was something holding her in place, while she was being pumped with something or other. Once she had lost consciousness, Sarah's hands were released and she slumped to the ground, before being engulfed in a bright light.

"You know I'm really starting to not like this!" Jack stated as he started to pace for the fourth time in the last two hours.

"We're all not liking it Jack, and your pacing isn't going to help that fact!" groaning he sat again.

"Yeah well! Worse things have happened right? I mean this isn't exactly a life and death situation, while we're waiting out here for her. But who knows what is going on in there! What ever it is, could be killing her, and we're just out here minding our own business while she's being murdered!" Jack exclaimed, before jumping up and starting to pace for the fifth time.

"O'Neill, I agree with Daniel Jackson. This movement of yours is not going to make this time go any quicker. We are indeed unaware of what is happening to Sarah Church, but we must believe that it is indeed to restore her health."

"Now you see T, I just can't get that! It's the kids fifth birthday next week and I really don't like to think about what is going on in there right now! All I want is for her to come on out, so we can take her back to Earth and back to her mother, who with any luck MIGHT, still be alive enough to wish her a happy birthday and say goodbye and put the poor kids heart to rest!" Jack exclaimed, spinning in his spot, and storming off. Sighing Daniel shook his head.

"don't worry Teal'c Jack just gets upset in an angry kinda way when something or someone he care's about is hurting or out of his reach to help them," Daniel said gently.

"That I can see Daniel Jackson. However thank you for that insight into O'Neill's life."

"Don't mention it!" He mumbled, before looking over his right shoulder to see Jack yet again pacing, trying to get his thoughts in order, and wishing and praying that Sarah was ok. Just at that moment the small door to the cave opened, and Daniel jumped up looking at it. "AH JACK!" He called staring straight at the small gap that had just been created. Racing over, Jack pushed past both men, and moved towards the opening.

Crouching down Jack took a look around the small cave, before venturing in, and grabbing an unconscious Sarah. Picking her up, he held her tightly to his chest, before moving to the entrance, and taking her outside the cave. Once they were safely outside the small door closed behind them.

"Jack?"

"I think she's alright…"

"What was in there?"

"Not much, just her, and what looked to be the inside of a rock! Look lets get her home, and to doc Fraiser," he stated before moving off towards the Stargate.

"As you can probably see, everyone's quarters are on different levels. Most of the teams all have their quartes on the same level. Like the Colonel, Daniel and I are all on this level, while Teal'c however is on sub level twenty-five. So it'll just depend on what team you're on and where there are available quarters, for which you will be assigned." Sam said gently, before turning a corner. "Here we have the mess hall," she smiled and opened the door, for them. Nodding they looked at her.

"Further down this hall are the science labs. This is where my lab is." She said turning to a door and swiping her card. As it opened the lights turned on and they walked in.

"Wow pretty advanced!" Oscar stated. Smiling gently she nodded.

"Yeah, it's the best one on base. But then again I do tend to get everything thrown my way when someone else can't figure it out," she smiled gently. "This is Daniels lab, he and Ellen worked here for hours many nights, trying to translate several texts that the SG teams have fund and brought footage back of. He loved having her around to help, and she loved to help him." Nodding they looked in at the half cleaned, office.

"Through these remaining corridors we have the generals' office, which backs up onto the briefing room," she smiled as she opened a door, and showed them into the briefing room. "Further down the hall, we walked past Colonel O'Neill's office." She added.

"Captain Cart to the control room, Captain Carter to the control room."

"Sorry if you'll excuse me," she said quickly, before descending the spiral staircase. Watching her they quickly decided to follow. "Walter?"

"It's the Colonel, ma'am."

"Colonel, O'Neill?"

"Ah Carter! We've got a slight problem,"

"Sir?"

"Sarah's unconscious, I don't want to bring her back, yet…"

"I'll call Janet to see," she stated cutting him off. Moving to the phone she called the infirmary. "Janet, is Ellen still…" Sighing she let her head fall against the wall. "Yep thanks," she whispered, before turning to the screens.

"Carter you there?"

"Yes sir, Janet said Ellen's still alive, barely but still hanging in sir, your clear to bring Sarah back, Colonel,"

"Sweet, standby." And with that, the visual contact was lost until the four were back in the 'gate room. Running down the few steps, from the control room, and into the 'gate room, Sam couldn't help but smile at the fact that Jack was carrying, and holding Sarah tightly.

"Sir, it's good to have you home."

"It's good to be home Captain."

"Yes sir," she smiled, before looking at Sarah.

"We have to get her to the infirmary Captain; we don't know how long she's been unconscious,"

"Yes sir," Sam stated looking at him, before moving aside to let him pass.

As Jack got to the infirmary, he moved to the first available bed, and put Sarah on it, as everyone else came in to see how she was. As Janet made her way to the bed quickly, to check on the little girl.

"Colonel, what happened?"

"Can't be too sure doc,"

"What do you mean by that Colonel?"

"Well it's sorta hard to explain, we got her to where she had to be obviously, as she mentioned that it was the right place, then she passed out, came too and went into this cave sorta thing that had some sort of door that closed us out once she went inside. Then it opened and I grabbed her and brought her back…"

"Was she like this…"

"Doc! She was unconscious when I found her, she's been unconscious for god knows how long, and it's been over two hours since we saw her go into that bloody thing!"

"Alright Colonel Calm down," Janet stated looking at him, only to see his scowl, before glaring at her.

"I'm calm doc! Just tell me she's gonna be alright!" Sighing she shook her had and turned back to Sarah. As she was examining her, she smiled gently, as Sarah started to stir.

"Hey, easy," Janet said gently.

"Uncle Jack…" Sarah mumbled. Turning Janet looked at the group that was watching her very closely.

"Colonel,"

"Doc?"

"She's asking for you," Janet smiled, as he turned and stared at her. Moving over he quickly made it to the side of Sarah's bed and took her hand.

"Hey there kiddo,"

"Uncle Jack…"

"Yeah sweetie it's me,"

"Mummy?"

"Ah…" He started before looking up at Janet who had a forlorn expression on her face. "Not so good, angel,"

"I want to see mummy," she whispered.

"I know, but how about you just get a bit stronger first yeah?"

"No! I have to see her…" She whispered, struggling to not only open her eyes but to sit up.

"Hey easy tiger!" He smiled at her as she finally managed to open her eyes, but frowned as she saw him holding her shoulder down. "Take your time Sarz, mummy's going to be ok." Sighing she nodded, before relaxing, and closing her eyes.

"Promise to let me see her when I wake up Uncle Jack?"

"Yeah angel I promise," he whispered leaning forward and kissing her forehead. Sighing he looked at Janet before the group who were smiling at the fact that Sarah was alive and awake. "She'll be alright, no use standing around for a few more hours," Jack said gently, to which they all coughed to clear their throats, and nodded before walking off. As he looked back at Sarah he felt the presence of others apart from Janet.

Looking up Jack smiled gently, to see Daniel, Teal'c Sam, Ange, Oscar, and Danni moving across the room to the bed. Watching her the entire time, Jack noticed that Sam was more on edge then anyone else in the room. She knew what was going to happen before anyone else did, and that was unsettling enough, let alone the look on her face.

"Ah, Carter?"

"I'm alright sir, just glad that she's ok," Sam whispered moving to stand next to him, not once taking her eyes off Sarah's sleeping form. As the group were watching Sarah, and making sure that she was going to be ok, they heard a loud shrill of a bell. Looking up, Sam and Jack knew before the others where it was coming from. Looking at each other they left Sarah's side, and ran across the infirmary to Mac's room.

Walking into the room, quickly, they were soon thrown out by one of the nurses, thanks to Janet's orders. As the door was closed on them, once they were back in the infirmary and out of the way of the nursing staff and Janet form doing their job, Jack grabbed Sam and pulled her into a tight hug. Clinging to him, she struggled to keep her tears at bay.

"Just cry Sam, we know what's going on, and I don't want you pulling that, 'I'm a solider' crap on me, when your sisters dying in there!" He whispered rocking her gently. Sniffling she nodded, but still struggled, with the tears. Moving her arms from around his waist to his chest, Sam gripped Jack's shirt as Hammond walked into the infirmary. Looking around he saw the group by Sarah's bed.

"Doctor Jackson, what's going on?"

"Ah, I think Ellen's…" Turning to see what the group were looking at he saw, Jack holding Sam tightly, and rocking her gently.

'Finally!' Jack thought as he heard her whimper and feel his shirt starting to get soaked through with her tears.

"Come on Sam, its right. She's at peace now," he mumbled, cringing and berating him self for what he'd just said. "Sorry," he added, before kissing her hair. Sniffling she nodded, gripping his shirt tighter in her grip, as he continued to rock her gently.

"It's ok," she managed to chock out through the sobs that were wracking her body with each and every one.

It had been at least an hour before anyone came out of the room, Sarah was now struggling to remain conscious, and they were all with her trying to get her to talk and to keep her awake, for as long as possible. They needed Janet and right at that moment she was busy. She needed to be with Ellen. Moving out of the room, Janet looked around and saw Sam.

"Sam," she called gently, to which everyone turned around to see her.

"Janet, how is she?"

"She's asking for you and the Colonel," nodding Sam turned to Jack, and he looked at her before at Sarah, biting his bottom lip.

"Sir, Ellen's holding on to say goodbye, I asked her too while you were off world, I think…" Holding his hand up, he nodded, and scooped Sarah into his arms. As they walked across the room, they stopped in front of Janet who gave them an apologetic look, before letting them into the room, and closing the door behind them. As they moved to the bed, Jack rested Sarah by Mac's side, and watched as Mac let her hand wonder across to Sarah's forehead, stirring her.

"Mummy?"

"Yeah sweetie, it's mummy,"

"Uncle Jack, said I wasn't strong enough to see you,"

"Your not angel, I'm just saying goodbye, and for you to be good, for Auntie Sam and Uncle Jack," sniffling Sarah nodded.

"Do I get to stay with them now? I mean for good, not just when you're away?"

"Do you want to?"

"Yes…" She whispered. Smiling gently Mac nodded.

"Then you stay with them, ok?" Sniffling Sarah nodded, and moved to wrap her arms tightly around Mac's neck, as she cried into her shoulder.

"I love you mummy!"

"I love you too angel! Now be, a good girl ok? I'll be watching you always, and take care!"

"I will mummy, and I love you too! Can you say hi to daddy please?"

"Yeah angel I will," Mac smiled at the little girl, in her arms. Before she looked at Jack, who nodded and moved forward, taking Sarah from Mac's chest and took her outside.

"Ellie…"

"Sam, it's in my will that you and Jack are to raise Sarah, I changed it a few weeks before I got sick. I want her with family. With biological family, not just friends who have become family."

"Shh, its ok, I know. And your friends are going to be here with us, they've been given clearance and I've shown them around the base and I don't really know what's going to happen, now."

"Sam…" She stopped as the door opened and Jack slipped back into the room silently.

"Sorry," he muttered. Smiling gently, Mac nodded.

"I was just telling Sam that you and she are Sarah's legal guardians now, I want you both to raise her." As his eyes widened he looked at her.

"Ah, Ellen…"

"I was also just about to tell Sam, that while I'm not here physically, I will be watching you too, and you better get your asses into gear and let something happen, because they will fight to take Sarah away form you, I know what my friends are like, and just because it's written in my will, does not mean that they wont try to contest it. Especially as its Sarah!"

"Ellen, we… Look at the work we do! We can't look after her," Jack stated looking at her.

"I'm very aware of the work you do Jack, I've been doing it for the last six months or so remember?"

"Yes but…"

"You're her legal guardians Jack, get over it, and…" As she stopped mid sentence, they both looked at her, Jack calling for Janet, as Sam tried for a pulse. As soon as Janet walked in, she saw Sam crumble to the ground and cry. Moving around the bed quickly Jack crouched down and pulled her into a tight hug, as Janet checked Ellen over, and turned off the machines, before pronouncing her dead.

As the days rolled over, they took Ellen's body back to Australia where they had a police burial for her. She was buried next to Pete like stated in her will. Ange, Oscar, and Danni had all agreed to stay in America, and work on the Stargate program, just as Mac had done. They had all thought in a similar way Jack realised. Agree to it, so there are fewer places that they went together, fewer memories for them to deal with.

They took them to their houses and worked out what, was what. They threw out a lot of things from the three houses, and packed only a few things. Each only had one large suitcase, or two medium sized suitcases. Which was full mostly of their personal items, like; pictures of the old team, pictures of Mac and Pete, trinkets that they collected. Books, and video tapes or DVD's, cd's, amongst other things.

Once they had packed everything they wanted, the group containing, Ange, Oscar, Danni, Sam, Jack, Daniel, and Teal'c cleaned out each of the houses, within a day, before they went on the market. Angie put her's up for sale, while Oscar was only renting, and told the real estate he was moving out, and Danni put her's up for lease. After they did this, the group went back to their hotel that they had booked, before heading to their airport to head home.


End file.
